Wha?
by Okane-Tsuki
Summary: Inoue meets a man with long flowing red hair and one night they see something horrible together, a hollow absorbing a demon. Now Shinigami and Spirit detectives need to work together to stop these monsters. Bleach/YYH Xover.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Inoue felt herself bump into someone as she was absent minded walking back from school. She fell backwards on to the pavement, "I'm sorry." She looked up at a man with long red hair and a very friendly face. He was wearing regular street clothes but he looked like a teenager, shouldn't he of been wearing a school uniform?

"No my apologizes," he said holding out his hand to let her up. He was the one who hadn't been paying attention while he was walking. She grabbed his hand and he fluidly pulled her back on her feet. "Are you alright?"

"Uhm," Inoue was at a loss for words, who was this man, he was very handsome.

"Miss?" The man asked again looking at her, did he really hurt her? Did she have a concussion or was anything broken and she was in shock?

"Oh yes I am fine, and sorry again," Inoue said as she picked her bag up off the ground and ran away smiling and waving. She decided it would be safe to run all the way to her house, non-stop. She didn't even stop as she passed Rukia and Ichigo as they said hi to her.

"What's that all about?" Ichigo said as him and Rukia were left in the dust. Inoue never acted rude like that, she always said hi and came over to talk to them.

"I don't know maybe we should check on her?" Rukia said worried as she watched Inoue's back retreat farther and farther away from them.

"Nah, we will just ask her at school tomorrow," Ichigo said as he yawned and scratched the back of his head. "We have to go pick Karin up and take her to her soccer game."

"Yeah, all right," Rukia said hanging her head as they walked along to Karin's school.

After the game they all returned back to Ichigo's house and Yuzu had cooked up a dinner for them. Isshin was sitting at the table moping and over exaggerating crying so that his children would ask him what was wrong.

"Dad stop," Ichigo said smacking his father on the back of the head. Isshin started to wail even louder and grabbing at Karin's shirt.

"DAD!" Karin screamed as she tried to wiggle away from her father, he was so embarrassing.

"My daughter, my son, do you not care what is upsetting your dear old Papa?" Isshin yelled as he grabbed Ichigo's pant leg leaving Karin's shirt. He wrapped himself around Ichigo's leg and cried as hard as he could.

"No we don't," Ichigo shouted kicking his leg forwards causing his father to go flying off and into the other room. There Isshin decided to stay curled in a ball and continued to cry throughout dinner.

"Guys, what do you think could be bothering him so much?" Yuzu said as she handed Rukia a bowl of rice.

"Who cares," Karin and Ichigo said at the exact same time and then they both dug into their food.

"They are so in sync," Rukia mumbled feeling sorry for Isshin and embarrassed for Yuzu, this family was one huge mess.

The next day at school Rukia decided she would talk to Inoue alone. So before they met at the usual spot to eat lunch she pulled her into an empty class room. "Inoue what happened yesterday? Me and Ichigo are worried about you," Rukia said leaning against the closed door so Inoue couldn't bolt.

"Well, its nothing really," Inoue said as her face went red and she was starting to feel butterflies in her stomach as she remembered his face.

"Why did you run away from us?" Rukia looked at the girl, what was wrong with her, something serious must of happened.

"I just met this guy," Inoue said and Rukia felt like falling down.

"You met some guy and you ran away from him and us?" This was unbelievable never in a million years would she assume Inoue's issue involved some guy.

"Yeah we bumped into each other, and he was so nice. To tell you the truth I feel really stupid, I couldn't even talk to him," Inoue said still blushing as she recounted the whole thing to Rukia. She had to tell someone and Rukia had asked first so she would tell her about this mystery guy she had met.

"Wow," Rukia mumbled to herself, Inoue never told her these kinds of things before. She guessed it was alright, they were friends right? "You have to find this guy," Rukia said after she had heard the way Inoue talked about him. This man and Inoue were destined to be together, it was fate and Inoue ran from it. Now Inoue had to take the high road and find him and confess to him, and Rukia would be there to help her.

"No, I mean, how?" Inoue said looking at the confident Rukia, she was jealous of her strength.

"How old do you think he was?" Rukia asked as they both sat down at a desk and Rukia sat backwards in a chair so they were face to face. She pulled out her notebook so she could draw him as Inoue described him.

"The thing is, he looked like he was in high school but he was wearing regular clothes," Inoue said feeling like this whole thing was hope less, she would never meet him again.

"Well that is quite a problem," Rukia said as she closed her notebook and they tried to think of something else.

Else where Ichigo and his friends sat on the roof eating their lunches and messing around, "Where did the girls go?" Keigo asked looking around at all the males, he missed his female peers that usually sat with them.

"Probably with the other girls," Chad said as he pointed backwards out onto the grounds where the rest of girls usually ate lunch.

"Ugh, I like it when they are here, Sausage fest is so gay!" Keigo screamed grabbing his hair and pulling it.

"What is sausage fest?" Chad asked looking down at Keigo who was having a mental breakdown.

"Um, he just means he doesn't like having all of us guys together with out a few women," Ishida said as no one else wanted to explain it to Chad. Chad was so clueless, Ishida hated naïve people, but Chad was his friend so he dealt with it.

"Hot women!" Keigo cried looking down at the floor, he was so depressed all of a sudden.

After school Rukia and Ichigo decided to walk with Inoue and go into town and get something to eat. Since the girls had talked throughout lunch and Ichigo usually never ate lunch. As they walked the girls talked and Ichigo didn't even pay any attention. As he walked he felt some strong spiritual pressure that they were approaching, was a captain near? As he walked behind them he tried to locate where it was coming from. The girls stopped walking and Ichigo not paying attention bumped into them and Rukia turned around and punched him.

"What the hell did we stop for?" Ichigo yelled at Rukia holding his throbbing jaw, "Your punches are so manly!"

Rukia's vein in her forehead popped out and she punched him again before turning back to Inoue, "Why did we stop?"

"Look," Inoue said pointing across the street. There he sat with a man who had orange hair and wearing a blue uniform and another man with black spiky hair and wore all black. They were sitting at a table and seemed to be eating as the orange haired man ranted and raved about something. "That guy with the long red hair, that's him!"

Rukia looked to the men and her eyes narrowed on the man Inoue was talking about, he seemed very calm and aware. "I think that's a girl," Rukia said knowing it was a man but he looked ridiculous with that hair.

"Yep that is defiantly a woman," Ichigo said as he joined the conversation and watched the three men. Then he remembered the pressure, it was really close, there was more than one. He looked around and couldn't place it any where, then he looked back at the men, was it them?

Inoue and Rukia watched just the man with red hair as he talked to the others, even the way he moved his mouth was mesmerizing. As Rukia looked at him more, he just grew more handsome each second. The man looked up from his conversation and looked directly at them, Inoue and Rukia quickly turned their backs to him. "Damn, now I can see why you ran from him. His eyes are heart shattering," Rukia said as she held her chest where her heart was pounding.

Ichigo looked at the too girls who were giggling and acting strange, "What the hell?" He looked back at the men and the red head was coming their way. Ichigo cracked his knuckles, no doubt about it the strongest was headed their way. The man smiled as he crossed the street over to them and he ignored Ichigo as he tapped on Inoue's shoulder.

Inoue turned around and bowed, "I'm sorry, I was just," she started trying to avoid his eyes.

He laughed, "It is alright, I just came over to make sure you were okay." The man looked at her as Inoue finally looked at his face.

"Yes I am thank you," Inoue said smiling, he was so nice!

"My name is Kurama Minamino," he said holding out his hand.

Inoue hesitated for a moment but then she grabbed his hand, it was so soft. "I'm Orihime Inoue, and these are my friends Rukia Kuchiki and Ichigo Kurosaki," she said and Kurama shook both of their hands.

"Kurama who are these people?" The gruff loud voice of the orange haired man boomed behind Kurama. He pushed Kurama to the side and looked at the 3 people his friend was talking too.

"Um, that is," Kurama started trying to get his friend to be more polite with out telling him.

"Huh? Oh names Kuwabara Kazuma," he said giving them all a sheepish smile.

Ichigo was eyeing Kurama suspiciously and as if Kurama knew it he looked back at Ichigo with a stern face. "Who are you?" Ichigo blurted out at him and he didn't seem taken back at all.

"That is none of your concern," Kurama said nicely and he felt Rukia's eyes on him as well.

Rukia didn't know why she hadn't sensed them earlier; she was way to wrapped up in Inoue's stuff. She was surprised that Ichigo had noticed before she had, that was something new.

"What do you mean, what the heck is that?" Kuwabara blurted out looking at Ichigo, he felt his spirit energy rising. "Don't do that are you trying to attract them!" Kuwabara was screaming at Ichigo and surprised Ichigo quickly lowered it.

"Attract who?" Ichigo asked looking at the annoying man.

"Don't worry about it, we have it all taken care of," the short man with black hair had now joined them, he must of gotten lonely and left out. As fast as he appeared him and Kurama were just as fast gone.

Kuwabara looked around, "Where the hell did they go?" He looked around for them, he hated when they left him in the dust.

"Who are you guys?" Rukia asked knowing that this man would most defiantly tell them.

"We are Spirit Detectives, who are you guys?" Kuwabara looked at them with his shoulders hunched, he hated being left behind.

"Don't worry about it," Ichigo said as he looked at Rukia for an answer, but she looked completely lost.

"What don't pull that shit on me; if you're not going to tell me then I will just pummel it out of ya!" Kuwabara screamed at them but the just walked away.

Inoue didn't want to leave, she wanted to talk to Kuwabara more, but Rukia was pushing her away. She looked back as Kuwabara started to scream threats at them but Rukia pushed on.

**A/n: Okay so this is my new crossover, I hope it is better than the other one. I couldn't think of a good title so it's What? without the t. There is a mistake where I forgot the y on a the, but I couldn't refind it! haha I don't feel like rereading through it a billion times! oh well, I hope you like it, Review please? **


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

That night Inoue invited Ichigo and Rukia over to dinner so they could discuss more about what had happened earlier. They didn't start talking until they were almost finished eating, well forcing food down their throats.

"So what do you think?" Rukia asked looking at the 2 in front of her. Personally she just wanted to stay out of it, unless it some how came to involving them.

"We have to find out more," Ichigo said as the gears were clicking in his head. He wanted to know who they were and what they did, what if they were bad guys?

"I think that we should just leave them alone, I mean they were too nice to be evil or something," Inoue said gauging the other 2 reactions. The truth was she wanted to meet Kurama again, but never on the battlefield.

"What?" Ichigo said they most defiantly couldn't leave them alone.

"I agree with Inoue," Rukia said smiling at the red head who smiled back at her. Rukia knew how Inoue felt about Kurama; it was still her job to get them together.

"You are both crazy! I've never heard of Spirit Detectives before have you?" Ichigo was trying very hard not to scream at them.

"Well no, but does that really sound like something bad?" Rukia challenged him but he wasn't going to budge.

"We at least have to keep tabs on them," he said crossing his arms like his idea was final.

"I'll do it!" Inoue said and they both looked at her, what did she mean? "I can just."

"What date them all?" Ichigo said smugly and Rukia hit him in the back of the head and he quickly shut up.

"Plus, if there was anything wrong we would have been informed by now," Rukia said still not wanting to even watch them.

"We should talk to Urahara," Ichigo said still rubbing the back of his head.

"I'll go," Rukia said standing up and leaving with out another word, she wanted to talk to him alone.

"Bye," Inoue waved after her and then she looked back at Ichigo who was still sitting next to her. She felt her heart start pounding as he just sat staring into space, was he going to leave too? After another minute Inoue couldn't take it, she got up and started to clear the table and let Ichigo sit there.

"You think you can meet that Kurama kid again?" Ichigo said bluntly and it scared Inoue that she almost dropped the dishes.

"What do you mean?" She asked trying to act like she didn't flinch when he had spoken. She set the dishes down and turned back to him and he acted like he hadn't noticed he had scared her.

"I mean if you can get in his head, maybe he will tell you stuff," Ichigo said as he was trying to think of a whole plan and not just the beginning.

"I don't know if that would work," Inoue said as she bit her thumb nail trying to think of it. She didn't want to date Kurama, did she?

"It would work, he would trust you. I know that I tell Rukia pretty much everything because she is always there and I trust her. Why wouldn't he do the same for you?" He said finally looking at her, he was very persuasive.

"Well I mean if you are really worried about them," Inoue said as she felt her heart breaking. Ichigo told Rukia everything? Inoue wished that Ichigo had trusted her enough to tell her everything on his mind. She felt herself becoming jealous of Rukia again, she felt like running and crying; but she held her self together. Not in front of Ichigo, she couldn't show him her weakness.

"I think there is something fishy going on and it would be stupid just to sit here and not even investigate," he said hoping that she would just say she would do it already. He was running out of things to say, he wasn't about to tell her everything he thought. She just needed to know that he thought it was important.

"I'll think about it," Inoue said smiling at him, "tomorrow I will tell you my answer."

"Good," he said standing up and saying goodnight as he left. If she didn't accept then he would some how convince Rukia to do it. He hoped with all his heart that it didn't come to that though. Rukia would not do the job as well as Inoue, Rukia was too mean. Plus Rukia was his confidant; he wouldn't be able to share her if his life depended on it.

Inoue finished the dishes and went to lay out her bed. She didn't feel like going to bed yet, it was still only 8 o'clock. Why was she going to bed early? It wasn't like she had school the next day, it was a Friday night. She looked out the window at the full moon, it was beautiful. She got up and walked over to the window at the city below her apartment, it was all light up with a blue light.

She decided it would be a good night for a walk and she grabbed a jacket and headed out the door. Once she stepped out side she took in a deep breath and smelled the spring air, it was refreshing. She decided to head to the park close by and sit on the swings and watch the moon until she felt sleepy. She felt like such a dork for wanting to go to a park, and like a hopeless romantic because she wanted to stare at the moon for hours. She took another deep inhale and the cold crisp air stung her lungs but she enjoyed the feeling.

Once she reached the park she was completely calmed and relaxed as she made her way to the empty swings and sat down. She looked up in the sky and it was the perfect view, the moon was right in front of her and it looked huge. Lifting her arms out to it she tried to act like she was grabbing it and then she pretended to eat it like a cookie.

"How does that taste?" A soothing voice asked and she turned around to see Kurama standing behind her.

"Oh um," she said embarrassed as he came closer and she got a better look at him. She gasped, "You are hurt!"

"Yeah," he said reaching up to his forehead where he felt the sticky blood, "I guess I am."

"Doesn't it hurt? It looks bad," she said looking at the huge gnash on his forehead and his black eye. Her eyes traveled down and his sleeve had been ripped open and blood was gushing from a cut on his shoulder.

"A little," he smiled at her, his adrenaline was still pumping from the fight so he barely felt his injuries. He had been on his way home when he noticed her sitting in the park by herself.

"My house is just a little ways away, I can bandage you up," she said not wanting to use her powers, it was too dangerous.

"I'm alright really," he said laughing as the numbness of the pain started to wear away. He felt his arm muscle twitch and ache as the blood left his wound. He felt the pounding behind his eye as the blood was pulsing under his skin out of the vein. He started to feel the sharp pain that accompanied the slice on his head, it felt like it had scrapped his skull.

"No really come on," she said grabbing his arm and taking him back to her apartment.

"I hope this is alright with your parents," he said trying to think of some way out of this, he would be fine after he slept. She really didn't need to patch him up; he could do that all on his own.

"I live by myself," she said not thinking anything about it, she was used to it by now.

Kurama immediately felt bad for saying it, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay; I've been alone for 8 years now. It really doesn't bother me," She said turning to smile at him to let him know that she really didn't care. As they reached her apartment she stopped outside the door and looked back at him. He looked awful she could tell his skin was flushed from loss of blood, "I'm sorry I shouldn't of made you rush, you probably lost more blood than you should of," she said apologizing before she opened the door and let him walk in.

Kurama felt weird, but she was a nice girl, so there was nothing to be afraid of right? He stepped in and she told him to just sit at the table and he did as she told. A second later she appeared in front of him with bandages and Neosporin. He laughed to himself at the Neosporin; he hadn't used that stuff since he was a child. She told him to sit still as she started to clean the blood off his face.

"You lost a lot of blood your whole face is covered!" She said and he sat quietly trying not to pass out.

"I bet I look like some sort of monster," he finally said trying to laugh but it was hard, his whole head was throbbing.

"No just like you have lots of blood on your face," she said not laughing knowing that he probably didn't feel very good at the moment.

After she was all done patching him up he thanked her and stood up to fast as he blacked out. Inoue quickly moved out of the way as he fell forwards and landed softly on her carpet. She bent down to make sure he was completely unconscious and then she was ready to do the real work. She touched the hair pins on each side of her head and then 2 little fairies flew out and formed an orange shield over Kurama as they began to heal him.

Inoue sat and hoped that he wouldn't wake up as she was doing this.

She sat up all night watching his wounds heal and it took until morning. When she was done she got a blanket and covered him and walked out of the house. She had to go tell Ichigo her answer, she had promised. She hoped Kurama would be fine alone until she got back. But what would she say to him, how would she explain about all his wounds being gone? As she walked she heard someone call her name and she turned to see Rukia, Ichigo, Chad and Ishida. She stopped walking as they all ran over to her, "Good morning."

"Inoue what have you decided?" Rukia asked looking at her hopeful.

Inoue didn't feel like telling her, Ichigo had already explained the plan, to all of them probably. "Well, I guess I will do it," she said ignoring Rukia and looking at Ichigo.

"Great!" Ichigo said smiling at her; it was exactly what he wanted to hear. "Can we go to your house to discuss it?"

"Um," she stuttered she wanted to say no but then they would know something was up. But then if she said yes they would all see Kurama passed out on her floor. Maybe she could stall them for a little while.

"I'll take that as a yes," Ichigo said and they all headed towards her apartment, and Inoue couldn't bring herself to say no.

As they reached her apartment she looked around hoping to find something she could distract them with. She looked down the road and saw a figure with long red hair walking away from them. He was leaving? She had only left him alone for about a half hour and he had woken up and left. She felt like running after him to see if he was alright but she decided against it. Instead she looked at everyone else to make sure they didn't see him, luckily they were already at her front door.

She walked up the steps and opened the door and they all huddled inside. She looked around the apartment, he had even cleaned up. All the bandages and scrapes, everything had been thrown away he had even folded the blanket up and had it put back in its spot. She walked over to the trash can and noticed he had also discarded of his bloody bandages. She hoped next time he wouldn't ask her why he woke up with out a scratch on his body.

"What is this?" Ichigo asked as he picked a note up off the table. The letter was folded in half and on the front had Inoue's name on it. "Do you write letters to yourself?" He asked and Rukia punched him in the arm and he dropped it.

Inoue walked over to them and sat at the table with them before she grabbed the letter. She opened it and read it; it was just a thanks, that's all it said? She flipped it over to see if there was anything else on it, but nope. She looked at it again, 'Thanks'. "Jeez, jerk," she mumbled and they all looked at her.

"It just says thanks!" She said showing them all, "It's not even signed!"

"Who is it from?" Ishida asked looking at her, did she know the recipient?

"No, they didn't sign it," she said trying to cover it up, she wanted it to be a mystery. She was a little glad that he hadn't written more or signed it. Had he known there was a chance that someone else could have read it before she could?

"Well anyways, Urahara said what?" Ishida asked trying to change the subject but he was still watching Inoue closely. Was she trying to hide something from them?

"He said that he has no idea," Rukia said looking at all of them; she hated delivering news that proved Ichigo was right. "So we should keep a close eye on them, and Inoue has offered to do just that," Rukia said smiling at Inoue who came back to earth once she heard her name.

"How?" Ishida asked still watching her; that was the stupidest idea he had ever heard. How was one girl going to watch how ever many of these so called Spirit Detectives?

"Well she is going to become their friend and see if any of them give her information," Ichigo said looking at Inoue wondering what was wrong with her. Was she still stuck on that strange letter?

"Did anyone feel something weird last night?" Chad asked and everyone turned to him, had he felt something?

"No," Rukia said as he took out her phone and looked at the reports, there hadn't been any hollow attacks.

"I felt it around 6 o'clock, but I couldn't figure out what it was, it didn't feel like a hollow," Ishida said remembering that he had felt some reiatsu's peak but at the time he didn't think anything of it.

"I felt yours too, around 10," Chad said looking at Inoue accusingly.

"Did you fight a hollow last night?" Ichigo looked at her; he had been with her at 6, so it couldn't have been her. But 10 by then he had been long gone.

Inoue looked at them, they had felt her while she as healing Kurama? "No, I accidentally hurt myself on the playground last night and came back here and healed myself," she said trying to make up something they would actually believe.

"Until this morning?" Chad asked knowing that there was something suspicious going on that she wasn't telling them. He felt bad that he was interrogating her, but she couldn't have secrets if it helped them out.

"Yes, that's true. When I woke up this morning I felt your reiatsu," Ishida said as he squinted his eyes at her even more. They had to get it out of her, what was she hiding?

"What were you doing at the park?" Rukia looked at her, this was serious, Inoue was acting very suspicious.

"And who is that letter from?" Ichigo said looking at her hard, what had she done?

"I just, I went to the park after Ichigo left to look at the moon and there was someone there that had gotten hurt so I brought them back here and healed them," she said not wanting to reveal who it had been. But she had to tell them what had happened or else they couldn't trust her. That's all she wanted was to be trusted so they would all tell her what they were thinking.

"Who was it?" Ichigo asked still being the only one looking at her. Everyone else was looking at him wondering why he had been with her alone the night before. Even Rukia, she had known the reason he was there, but the fact that he stayed long after she had left disturbed her.

"I was just doing my mission," she said smiling at them, it was true, Kurama now knew more about her because of it.

"Who was it?" Rukia asked looking back at Inoue surprised; it had been one of the detectives?

"Um," She said she had to tell them. That was also part of her mission to tell them exactly what happens with them. "Kurama," she said putting her head down in defeat.

"He was hurt bad enough that it took you all night to fix him?" Chad asked, maybe this guy was who he felt around 6.

"Well yeah he was beat up really bad. I brought him back to just bandage him up but he passed out so I decided to just heal him all the way," she said feeling bad that it took them question after question to get her to confess. She should of just told them and not hide it for as long as she had.

"So he just woke up this morning and discovered all his wounds were gone? How did you explain that one?" Ichigo asked he was mildly interested in Kurama's reaction.

"Well this is how," she said holding up the note that he had written. "He was still asleep when I left this morning and I saw him leaving as we arrived."

"What? He probably felt us coming and bolted, he must have been scared," Ichigo said and Rukia and Chad nodded in agreement.

"Or he felt like he didn't want Inoue in trouble or something, imagine if we walked in here and found him sleeping. It would have been a completely different situation; I think he left to protect Inoue," Ishida said thinking it through; his explanation was more likely then Kurama being scared of them.

"Inoue he is already trying to protect you," Rukia said winking at Inoue who had a huge smile plastered on her face.

After they had all finished talking everyone left Inoue's apartment and left her alone. She decided to take a shower and she opened her dresser and saw a piece of paper laying on top of the blanket she had thrown over Kurama. She saw it wasn't addressed to anyone but she grabbed it and opened it.

'Inoue,

I thought I would leave so you wouldn't have to explain this to your friends. But I would very much like to thank you in person, meet me back at the park tonight at 8 and a half hour.

Kurama'

Inoue smiled at the letter, he had left to protect her. She was very much looking forward to meeting him. She grabbed a towel and headed for the shower. How was she going to waste time until 8:30?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Around 4 Inoue had decided to go to the grocery store just because. She had to get out of the house; at least if she went to do something it wouldn't feel like a long wait. As she walked around the store putting stuff in her cart she kept hearing a man shouting.

"Urameshi are you kidding me? You come back and you don't even want to help us!" The man shouted and Inoue knew they were in the next aisle over. She skipped over that aisle and hopped they wouldn't catch up to her,

"Kuwabara, I told you I'm getting married soon. I don't have time to go around like that. You shouldn't be doing it either, you aren't a detective anymore," another man said and Inoue stopped. Kuwabara he was that loud annoying man that had been with Kurama, but who was Urameshi? Was he the little guy in all black? No, she had heard him speak it wasn't him; it must have been another detective. But he was telling Kuwabara that neither of them were detectives.

She decided she had to get a look at this other one, it was her mission. She crept to the side of the aisle and peaked down hoping they wouldn't spot her. It was the same Kuwabara she had met, but the other one. She had never seen him before; he had black slicked back hair and was wearing jeans and a white T-shirt. She kept watching them as they stood quietly, what were they doing?

Suddenly Urameshi turned to look at her and he caught her eyes in his, "What are you doing?" He looked at her and told her to come out of hiding and explain herself to him.

"Dude, that is that girl," Kuwabara screamed looking at her.

"What girl? You never told me about a girl," Urameshi said looking her up and down, she seemed very suspicious.

"I don't really know, but Kurama knows her," Kuwabara said looking to his friend for a reaction.

"Kurama? Is that what he introduced himself as to her?" Urameshi looked to Kuwabara and pointed a thumb to Inoue. That was strange usually he used his human name at first.

"I'm sorry I just heard shouting and wanted to see, forgive me," Inoue said finally finding a chance to speak. She bowed and started to walk backwards.

"Wait, what is your name?" Urameshi demanded not wanting to let her go, what if she knew something.

"Inoue Orihime," she said looking at Kuwabara to see if would make his friend lay off.

"Names Yusuke," he said waving her back closer, "Now what do you know?"

"Nothing I mean, I just bumped into Kurama, it's not like I know him," she said hating that she was explaining herself for the second time that day.

"That is not true, you are going to meet him tonight," Kuwabara said giving her a huge sly smile.

"I see, Kurama likes you; that is why he used his real name," Yusuke said rubbing his chin, this girl was pretty hot.

"Wha?" Inoue said her eyes growing huge as she looked at them. Was Kurama the kind of person that used a fake name when he met a girl he didn't like? Did he like her like that?

"I didn't know Kurama liked girls," Kuwabara said stunned, was what Yusuke said really true.

"Well of course he does you numskull, he is a man after all," Yusuke said punching his friend in the arm.

"Don't do that or I will lay you out flat!" Kuwabara screamed trying to punch Yusuke back but Yusuke was too quick for him.

Inoue watched in amazement as Yusuke dodged every punch, he was quicker than Ichigo. Quicker than Captain Hitsugaya even, she noted watching them.

"Whatever," Kuwabara screamed giving up as he was trying to regain his breath.

"How do you move so fast? I had a hard time keeping up with you," Inoue said and both men turned back at her.

"You could keep up with me?" Yusuke said giving her a strange look. Who was this girl? Maybe it wasn't that Kurama liked her but she had some sort of special powers he wanted to find out about.

"I couldn't even see him more than half the time," Kuwabara said scratching his head his mouth hanging open. Ever since Yusuke had returned from who knows where he had become stronger than ever. He wished Yusuke would tell him where he went and what he did, so he could do the same thing; but as far as he knew he hadn't even told his fiancé Keiko.

"Well, I don't know," she said feeling as if she had said too much.

"What the heck is taking you so long?" The little man in all black suddenly appeared next to Inoue. Hiei looked over at her and scoffed, "You."

"You know her too?" Yusuke looked at Inoue and then at Hiei.

"No," Hiei said choosing to never look at her again.

"We haven't even checked out yet!" Kuwabara shouted grabbing something off the shelf and throwing it at Hiei.

"Are you trying to play a joke on me or something?" Hiei said as his eyes squinted and his face contorted into an evil look.

"Bring it small fry," Kuwabara said getting in a fighting stance and waving for Hiei to come at him.

"Fine," Hiei crouched down and grabbed the hilt of his sword and was ready to pounce.

"Stop, lets just go," Yusuke said and both men stopped what they were doing and staring at him. Yusuke wasn't about ready to let a fight unfold in a grocery store; he didn't want to have to pay the damages. Plus Hiei would just rip Kuwabara into little shreds.

Inoue decided it was time to slink away when Hiei had grabbed his sword and now she was far away. She smiled at her success, she was very sneaky. She sighed thinking about everything she had just seen, these people were crazy. None of them were even a little bit normal, Kuwabara was loud, Yusuke was out of line, Hiei was very angry, and Kurama was too nice for his own good. She finished shopping and checked out hoping that she wouldn't run into them again but they were long gone.

Rukia had to get out of the Kurosaki house; it was just too much for her to handle at the moment. All the fighting, crying, and complete craziness that was Isshin Kurosaki was taking a toll on her. She hadn't even told Ichigo she was leaving; hopefully he wouldn't come after her. It was only about 6 but it was already getting dark, she stopped walking and looked at the sunset. She hated that winter was coming; winter was her least favorite season. Then again her sword was an ice sword, and she loved her sword, what a- well she couldn't think of the word.

She heard a loud crash and looked behind her at the house, they were fighting again. When she had left only a few minutes before Isshin was complaining and upset, man he was so bi-polar. She dropped her head and tried to quiet her mind when she felt it. She quickly looked to where the reiatsu was coming from. She saw a man with black hair in jeans and a white shirt sitting on top of a wall next to her. He didn't seem threatening; he wasn't even paying any attention to her. He was just watching the sunset in deep thought, but she had to know who he was.

"Who are you?" She asked walking over to the wall and looking up at him.

"hm?" The man looked down at her and felt something but he couldn't place it. Why was she bothering him he was just sitting peacefully watching the sky? Sunset's always brought back fond memories and he liked to sit and remember those times.

"I asked who are you?" she said again looking at the man weirdly. If he wasn't here for a fight why was he letting his reiatsu out?

"I don't really want to tell you, just leave me alone," He said not moving a little bit, he just wanted this pest to go away.

"Leave you alone? You come here-," she started but then he cut her off.

"I come here? And what? I am not here to hurt you or anything so just get lost," he said shooing her with his hand.

"How do I know that? You sit here and let your energy out," she said clenching her fists, this guy was a trip.

"I wha? I am not letting my energy out, you lie!" He said suddenly aware that he had been letting it leak out. Quickly he stopped it and looked around hoping no one had felt it, so that was why she was bothering him. "Wait? You felt that?"

"Um, no?" Rukia said wishing she wouldn't have approached this man in the first place. He was neither a shinigami nor bad guy; he was just a guy with a strange huge amount of spirit energy.

"Yeah okay, who the hell are you," he said jumping down off the wall and facing her. She was almost as short as Hiei, he thought looking her up and down. She wasn't so threatening; there was nothing special about this girl. She wasn't even that strong, well what he could sense.

"It's none of your business," she said wishing she wasn't wearing her gigai, it was so stiff and suffocating.

"Well now it is my business to know who you are so spit it out. What is your name?" He said demanding it out of her like he was some sort of cop or something.

"No!" Rukia said back trying to hold her own, "Who are you?"

"Does it really matter?" he said back knowing that they weren't getting any where. "Fine my name is Yusuke Urameshi," he said hoping by just giving her his name that she would open up a little.

"Never heard of you," she said still not wanting to give him the information that he wanted.

"That is not what you are supposed to say," he said giving her the give-me-a-break look, this girl was annoying.

"What am I supposed to say?" Rukia challenged him, he wasn't going to get the best of her.

"Well a real human would tell me their name back! Unless you aren't human, are you a demon?" He asked looking her up and down again, maybe she was a demon.

"What is a demon?" she looked at him, was he serious? Last she had known demons were just myths, what was he talking about.

"Well I can tell that that isn't your real body," he said looking at her, yes, she was in someone else's body. That's the weird feeling he had gotten earlier, it was her muffled spirit energy in the body.

"Wha? No this is my real body," she said, how did he know? "Well at least I didn't steal it from anyone, it was made for me," she said caught completely off guard.

"Someone made you a body? Why?" Yusuke looked at her in disbelief, never in his 5 years in the spirit detective business had he ever heard about this.

"Rukia!" A scream came from the house behind them and she turned to see Ichigo screaming out his bedroom window. She smacked her forehead as she looked back at Yusuke.

"So that is your name? Rukia?" he smiled at her finally happy to get her name. It fit her quite well he thought trying to see who was calling her name.

"No it isn't," she said, "And stop smiling like that," she tried to punch him but he caught her fist. "Sorry it's a habit," she said as he let her hand go. "Good-bye," she said as she began to walk away.

"Wait, who are you?" he called after her but she didn't turn around and she ran all the way back to the house. "Bitch," he said to himself as he kicked at the ground and shoved his hands in his pockets. Thank god for Keiko, if he didn't have her he probably never would meet another girl.

As Rukia reached the front door she looked back to see Yusuke walking away with his arms behind his head. Once he was gone she heard Ichigo shout her name again and she jumped up to his bedroom window. She had jumped up and barely missed Ichigo's face and he was so surprised that he fell back on his bed.

"What the hell Rukia?" He shouted as she crawled in and sat on his bed.

"Sorry," she said laughing at him for flinching. "I just went out to watch the sunset," she smiled at him wondering if it was safe to tell him about her talk with Yusuke or not. She figured she should probably tell him, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

"Oh well you scared me, will you just telling me where you go?" He said crossing his arms, she couldn't just run off like that. What if something had happened to her and he was unable to find her and help?

"I'm a grown woman," she said complaining, who was he, her keeper? She could do what she wanted with or without his permission.

"That doesn't make up for the fact that anyone stronger than you could attack you!" he said and her eyes opened wide. What had he just said?

"Hm," she said nodding her head. She hated when Ichigo said stuff like that, she knew he cared about her a lot. He was saying it from his heart and she always felt bad that she had made him worry.

"Good," he said watching her, she seemed sad for some reason. He wanted to ask her, but maybe it was none of his business. Was he wrong to worry about her that much?

Rukia looked back up at him, he was watching her carefully. She had to tell him about Yusuke, it was the right thing to do. It wasn't anything big, but the longer she held it from him the more upset he would be about it later. That was the reason she told him pretty much everything, she didn't want it to pull them apart later down the road. "So I just met someone very interesting," she started and then she told him the whole entire story.

**A/n: Haha I still can't think of that dang word. lol, so for as long as i cant remember it Rukia cant either! you like?**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/n: I just have to say thank you to all of you who have reviewed, I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I LOVE SHITHEAD MY KITTEN!**

Chapter 4

"Do I really have to stay here with you?" Hiei spoke with disinterest as he watched the same spot Kurama was. They sat together in a clearing of a forest of the park Kurama and Inoue had met the last time. They had been sitting in silence watching the same spot for almost 18 minutes now and it was beginning to irritate Hiei.

"Yes, it would be improper to invite her here if it was just me," Kurama said finally as he felt her spirit energy come closer and closer to them. He could feel his stomach lurching forward and backwards inside of him.

"I thought," Hiei started but Kurama jerked his way and glared at him. "Hmph, whatever." They both heard wood cracking and they looked back to see Inoue making her way to them.

Kurama stood still watching her struggle a little to get through the branches. Hiei watched in mild interest as Kurama smiled watching her kick her way to them.

Inoue finally made it through and looked at all the cuts and scrapes up and down her arms and legs. She wanted to fix it, but she looked up at Hiei and Kurama and decided not too.

"Go ahead," Kurama said motioning to her arms; he wanted to see it for himself. He wanted to see her magical healing powers. He felt bad for setting her up like that, but he had a hunch and he wanted it confirmed.

Inoue looked back down at her arms, was it really safe to show them? She looked at the largest cut on her arm as blood was trickling from it and down her arm. She looked at her hand that for some reason was covered in blood and drips were falling off her fingers. She had to do it, or else she would lose too much blood. Kurama and Hiei were trustable, plus she had to show that she trusted them. "Ayame, Shuno, I reject," she said and they emerged making a shield over her wounds as they started to heal.

Hiei's eyes opened wider as he watched everything unfold in front of them. What was she doing? He quickly glanced at Kurama whose expression was blank as he watched her. He had trapped her; he had planted things that would cause her harm just to see her to do this. Hiei couldn't help but think Kurama went a little too far sometimes, even though he had completely vanquished Youko from him he was still ruthless.

In a matter of minutes all the cuts had disappeared and the 2 flowers returned to their spot on Inoue's hair pins. She didn't want to look up; she wanted to run away, she just wished she could leave.

"Inoue that was amazing," Kurama finally spoke as he walked closer to her. He stopped a few feet away knowing that she probably had figured it out. She didn't look up at him and he could feel the nervous tension coming from her. "I'm sorry I just had to see it with my own eyes. I understand if you want to leave, I can promise you that we will keep it a secret."

"No," she said still looking at the ground and Kurama felt himself off guard. Inoue closed her eyes as tightly as they would go, she couldn't leave. This was her mission, plus it was no big deal, right? "Its fine, I could have chosen not to show you."

"Well thank you," Kurama said not knowing what else to say. This whole time he had expected her to just run away after this. He knew it was cruel but he was willing to hurt her to see her powers in action.

"But you know pay back is a bitch," she said smiling sweetly as she looked up at him. She wanted to laugh at the face he was making, he seemed to be actually afraid. "Yes a bitch named Tsubaki, I reject," she said calmly as the black flower shot from the side of her head and flew at Kurama.

Unable to predict what she was doing he tried to dodge but anywhere he moved the black figure was right in front of him. Finally he decided to stand his ground and see what this thing would actually do to him. He could take any hit this little flying thing brought.

"Tsubaki," Inoue said and the black flower stopped right in front of Kurama.

"What the fuck stupid girl! You want me to attack and then you stop me," the angry flower shouted as he turned to look at her.

"I was just trying to scare him, and you are pretty scary," Inoue said with a faint smile on her face and Tsubaki had a large grin. Tsubaki was glad to see his master finally getting some evil back bone.

Kurama felt like he was in some sort of shock, what had just happened? He looked at the creature floating in front of his face. A figure dressed in black and red with black wings behind him and a cloth over his mouth. Kurama had heard about the power of rejection, but who were these little fairy creatures. Tsubaki turned to face Kurama and punched him in the tip of the nose before flying back and joining the other flowers.

Hiei was completely confused, but he decided to stay quiet and watch to see if anything else unfolded. He crossed his arms and walked backwards to lean up against a tree. He wanted to see what Kurama would do now that he was completely off guard.

"What is that?" Kurama said as he rubbed his nose, Tsubaki's punch had really hurt.

"Sorry, he is the one that is the hardest to control," Inoue said not sure what to do next. She wasn't sure why she had done that, it was impulsive and unlike her. She really didn't feel like telling him about all of her flowers, no not today at least. She knew he wanted to hear all about them which was why he had set up that little trap, but there was no trap he could set up to get the information out of her. No he would have to be nice to her and maybe eventually she would tell him. "I met your friend Yusuke," she said remembering the grocery store trip earlier that day.

"hn," Hiei said knowing that nothing good would happen now. He pushed off the tree and quickly jumped up in it before leaving the two by themselves.

Kurama turned to watch him retreat, he sighed as he turned back to her. This girl was no idiot; he wouldn't press for more information, just yet anyways. "How did that happen?" He asked looking back at her and she was watching Hiei leave as well.

Inoue opened her mouth to say something and a huge growl emerged from her stomach. "Wanna go get something to eat?" she said blushing from embarrassment.

He tried not to laugh at her, "Sure," he said as he started to walk back to the main part of the park. He stopped when he realized she wasn't following him, he looked at her and she seemed to be thinking. "Sorry," he said taking out his whip and making a path for them, she was afraid of getting hurt again. Or maybe she thought it was another trap? When a path was clear she smiled at him and they both walked to the nearest ramen shop.

* * *

"Yusuke, where have you been?" A young girl with long brown hair watched her fiancé approach.

"Sorry Keiko," Yusuke said walking up to her and giving her a kiss on the cheek and her face became flush. He pulled back and looked at her, was she embarrassed? They were about to get married in a month and she was still afraid to be kissed in public. He wanted to think badly of it but he felt himself feeling happy. "Let's go," he said and she nodded slightly and they walked to dinner.

"Where have you been?" She said quietly as she walked beside him, she felt stupid.

"Watching the sunset, thinking about you," he said shoving his hands in his pocket. He hated to admit it, but he had to be romantic. He wanted to make Keiko happy and if that meant telling her his feelings then so be it.

"Huh?" Keiko stopped and he stopped as well and turned to look at her. Was he trying to be romantic? No it had to be something, he was being perverted. "How were you thinking about me?"

Yusuke lifted his eyebrows and looked at her; she hadn't liked what he had said? "I was thinking about when I came back and you were on the beach yelling at the sunset," he said as his face dropped into a frown as he looked at her. "Why?"

Keiko suddenly felt bad that she had doubted him; he had been trying to be romantic. She decided it would just be best to smile at him. When he didn't say anything she opened her eyes and looked at him. He was just watching her, "What?"

"Stupid girl," he said and he felt her hand slap his cheek. He half expected her to run away from him but she stood her ground as she looked at him. He watched as she opened her mouth but he quickly pulled her to him and captured her open lips with his. He pulled back and looked down at her bright red face, "You're beautiful."

"Yusuke," she said softly as she collapsed against his hard chest and he hugged her. She smiled to herself; she couldn't wait to be married to this man.

Kurama and Inoue sat in the restaurant watching the two from their window table. Inoue quickly looked away but Kurama seemed to be stuck on them. They were made for each other, and he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever have that. He shook his head as he turned back to Inoue, no he would never have that.

"I wonder what he said to her, at first she seemed mad and then that," Inoue said as she pointed out at them.

"Don't point," Kurama said not paying any attention and Inoue quickly put her hand back in her lap. "Uh," Kurama snapped himself out of it and looked at her, "Sorry." He looked back down at his bowl of ramen, did he just scold her?

Inoue didn't know what was going through his mind, but she was glad this wasn't a date or else it would have been a horrible date. Her eyes wandered back out to Yusuke and Keiko as they looked at each other with huge smiles on their face. She looked back at Kurama and wondered if he was thinking about them. She had seen him shake his head, was he upset because he didn't have what Yusuke and Keiko had? Or maybe he did have a girlfriend that he hadn't mentioned, why would he? Even though she had only known Kurama a little bit but she thought it was strange that he was thinking about such things. If he wanted a girlfriend there shouldn't have been anything stopping him, it wasn't like he was totally unhandsome and rude.

"Do you have any family?" She asked hoping to bring him back to himself; she was just as interested in his life as he was in hers.

"Yeah," he said taking his last bite of food before looking up at her. Suddenly he felt rude to be ignoring her, "My mom remarried last year and I have a step brother because of it."

"Oh really? Is he younger or older?" She said smiling she was glad that he had family, she wasn't sure why but she was.

"He is younger, we have the same name," he said as he looked back out the window and Yusuke and Keiko were gone.

"You're both named Kurama?" she said looking at him, that was amazing; to think to have a step brother with the exact same unusual name.

"Eh, well Kurama is not my given name. Shuichi Minamino is my given name," he said forgetting that she didn't know anything about him.

"Oh so you changed your name so as not to get confused?" she smiled at him, this guy sure was interesting. If his home life was this fascinating then how much cooler is his everyday life as a detective?

"Um, no," he said trying to think of some way to explain it as to not tell her everything. "Kurama is just what my friends call me," he said realizing that it was true; at first he had thought he was making up a lie but if he really thought about it, it wasn't.

"Oh, that's so cool," she said looking at him, he smiled at her, she was glad he was in a better mood. The waitress brought over the check and Kurama grabbed it and took it up to the counter to pay. "No wait, let me give you some money," she said but he ignored her and she put some money on the table as tip and walked to the door.

When Kurama and she were both outside Inoue turned to look at him, "You didn't have to pay the whole thing."

"Yes I did, it's a thank you for helping me," he smiled at her as he could sense something brewing close by.

"Rukia and Ichigo," Inoue said grabbing Kurama's arm and running to see if her comrades needed help. Inoue felt it immediately as they had walked out of the ramen shop and she knew Kurama could feel it too. She could feel the reiatsu of the hollow grow stronger as they got closer.

Finally they could see the fight in the air as Ichigo and Rukia were each fighting the huge hollow who looked like 2 in one body. Inoue stopped and let go of Kurama's arm as she looked next to her was Yusuke and Keiko watching the fight with them.

"What is that?" Kurama didn't look at her as Ichigo suddenly shouted something and his sword changed and so did his outfit.

"Is that a demon?" Keiko shouted as she grabbed Yusuke's arm.

"No it's a hollow," Inoue said as Rukia fell from the sky and it looked like she crashed into the ground. When the dirt cleared Ichigo had caught her at the last moment, and she was over his shoulder. "Rukia," she screamed as she ran to help and when she reached them Ichigo looked at her surprised.

"Inoue what are you doing here?" he was handing Rukia over to her when he saw the 3 people standing a little ways away. He heard a huge lurching noise as he looked back up at the hollow that was just about to hit them.

"I reject," Inoue screamed and a shield formed in front of them and the hollows attack was blocked.

"Thanks, you take care of Rukia, and get those people out of here," Ichigo shouted at her before jumping back up in the air and swinging at the hollow.

Inoue tried to pick Rukia up but she didn't have enough strength. She tried a second time and this time she easily lifted her into her arms. "Wha?" she felt someone behind her helping her lift Rukia up.

"I'll take her," Kurama said as Rukia suddenly was in his arms and Inoue looked at him. "Let's go," he said and she nodded making sure a shield was up behind them as they ran. They passed Yusuke and Keiko telling them both to get out of the way making both turn on their heels and run with them.

Yusuke heard a loud crackling noise and he turned around to see Ichigo use his Getsuga Tensho. A huge blue crescent shot from Ichigo's blade and sliced the hollow right in half. After the hollow was defeated it seemed like it exploded and pieces seemed to shatter everywhere before disappearing. "Wait," Yusuke shouted after the others and they stopped and watched as Ichigo floated back down to the ground and seemed to return to normal.

**A/n: So I feel as if Kurama and Inoue were a little out of character and I racked my brain all week trying to think of someway to change it, but I couldn't!! So I hope y'all thought it was okay. Review and tell me what you think :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Everyone sat quietly thinking their own thoughts just as Rukia had finished up her presentation on hollows and wholes; complete with drawings. It was a lot for the detectives to take in especially when all this time they had no idea. They worked with the spirit world and never heard or seen one of these hollows before.

"What is a demon?" Keiko said looking over at Yusuke who looked just as confused as she did. "Is a demon some sort of hollow? Kurama?" She looked at Kurama from across Inoue's kitchen table. Someone needed to really explain this to her again, with better pictures.

"As far as I am aware demons are completely different," he said looking down at his chest; he didn't have a hole in him. He was a complete human; never had him or Youko ever knew anything about hollows. "So that means you are a shinigami?" Rukia nodded and Kurama sighed looking at Yusuke. "I think we need to speak with Koenma or Botan," he said and Yusuke nodded in agreement.

"Who are they?" Ichigo asked looking at both men very seriously, who were these guys in front of him? By the way the girl had reacted Ichigo had presumed she had nothing to do with what ever these Spirit Detectives did.

"Come on Keiko its getting late I should be getting you home now," Yusuke said as he stretched and tried to stand up.

"Wait a minute you can't just leave!" Ichigo shouted but next to him Inoue tugged at his arm. "What?" He asked looking at her and she pointed to her laundry room. Reluctantly he followed her in there and she shut the door. "Inoue we have to find out who these guys are they can't just up and leave."

"Are you trying to ruin this? I'll keep a very close eye on them and when they tell me I will tell you. Isn't that what we agreed on?" She said not wanting to force any information out of the 2 men sitting in her living room. "Lets just call it a night," she said and he looked at her defeated.

"Fine," he said knowing all to well she was right. These guys weren't a force to be messing with, they just needed to sit back and observe. They wouldn't give up information as easily as Rukia would. When they had walked back out Kurama and Rukia were the only ones left and they had started a conversation about who knows what. "Rukia lets go," he said flicking her in the back of the head.

"Hey!" She screamed turning around and looking at Ichigo who looked eager to leave. "Goodnight guys, nice seeing you again," Rukia bowed to Kurama and they both left with out another word from either.

"What did you say to him?" Kurama asked as Inoue sat at the table across from him. It seemed that after she had talked to him his life had been sucked out of him.

"I told him not to pry," she said simply grabbing her tea off the table and taking a sip. "I just thought he was being very rude," she said off handedly.

"Hm," Kurama said watching her to see if he could see her do anything strange but all she did was look at him and smile. "I guess I'll be going now," he said standing up.

"You don't have to, I really don't get much company and it gets really lonely," she said setting her cup down and standing up as well.

"It's almost midnight," he said looking at the clock on her wall above the sink.

"It's actually only," she stopped to count on her fingers, "8 o'clock, I haven't had time to reset it back to normal yet."

Kurama chuckled a little, "What have you been up to that's made you so busy you forget to change the clock?"  
"Well, uhm," she said thinking about the war with Aizen and how she had been kidnapped. They had only been back for about a week so far, and ever since they've been back she's been busy with her new mission. "I was gone for a really long time and just got back last week," she said and she could feel his suspicious eyes on her.

"Oh where did you go?" He said trying to sound like he was just interested but in reality he was intrigued. Maybe now he would get information out of her, when they were truly alone.

"None of your business," she finally decided to say looking at him and she could tell he was disappointed. He wasn't going to be able to use mind games on her, she was to smart for that. While held captive at Las Noches she had learned when someone was prying and when they were being genuine; it was never genuine.

"Well I guess I will still be going," he said heading for the door but stopped with his hand on the knob. "If you ever lonely and want some company just call me," he turned back to her and he told her his cell phone number and she quickly scribbled it down. "Good night Orihime," he said walking out the door.

As soon as she was sure he was gone she collapsed on to the floor. She wasn't sure what she was feeling it was just a bunch of feelings jumbled all together. Frustrated she decided to clean up and go to bed early. She did have school in the morning after all; a nice good night of sleep would do her some good.

The next day at school Rukia sat at her desk and watched Inoue as she studied something in her text book. She couldn't help but wonder if something had happened after her and Ichigo had left last night. The situation was bothering her a little; Inoue and Kurama, something about them together seemed to just click. She looked over to Ichigo who was asleep in the desk next to her. She rolled her eyes at him and reached her foot over and kicked him and he woke instantly.

"What?" He angrily mouthed but she was no longer paying any attention to him. What was her deal? He looked at the board at all the math problems and felt himself getting sleepy again as he crashed back into his book.

Hearing the noise Rukia snapped her head to look at him and just smiled, what a child. Finally after what seemed like forever the lunch bell rang and Rukia made her way over to Inoue. "What have you been studying?" She looked over her shoulder and saw it was a phone number scribbled on a post-it stuck to the page of her book. Inoue quickly shut the book and turned to look at her and Rukia looked at her confused. "Whose number is that?"

"Um, no one's," she said applying a huge grin to her face, "Lets go eat." She stood up and Rukia smiled at her.

'Weird,' Rukia thought to herself as they made their way to retrieve their lunches from their lockers. "What did you bring for lunch today?"

"Well last night I couldn't sleep so I went out and bought stuff for pizza. After I finished making it I didn't have the appetite to eat it," She stopped and scratched the back of her head, "So now I will eat it."

"How long did Kurama stay with you last night?" Rukia asked trying not to make it sound weird, but it was really bothering her. Ever since she had met Kurama she had seemed so happy.

"Oh, he finished his tea and then left," Inoue said putting a frown on her beautiful pale face. "But I have a feeling I will see him tonight," she said smiling again as she turned to her locker and opened it.

"Oh why is that?" Rukia said with a blank face as Inoue shut her locker and her face was visible to Inoue as well.

"Well I don't know, I just seem to run into him a lot," Inoue said giggling a little as they started walking again.

"You think maybe he stalks you?" Rukia said as her eyes got wide in realization; it wasn't that they were meant for each other, he thought he was meant for her. Maybe it was because of her great assets? She made a mental note to study his eyes next time she met him; he could just be a big pervert.

"No," Inoue laughed louder thinking about it. If anything she was stalking him, she always ran into him, and sometimes literally. "Rukia what is with the interrogation?"

Rukia looked at her friend and smiled, "I'm just happy for you that's all."

"Happy why?" Inoue said but they were interrupted by all the girls in their class that caught up with them. They decided to drop the conversation and go out their spot in the trees. Inoue really didn't think much more of it as she began to talk to Tatsaki about her martial art class. Was she not happy this whole entire time? She used to be jealous of Rukia but she had never acted in a way that made others believe something was wrong.

Suddenly she stopped her conversation with Tatsaki and looked at Ichigo and his friends up on the roof. She used to be jealous, but she no longer was. Why was it that all of a sudden she didn't feel anything for Ichigo? She heard Tatsaki calling her name and she looked back at her. She no longer had feelings for Ichigo, and she wasn't jealous of Rukia, what in the world? "Sorry," she said to Tatsaki who was looking at her funny.

"I think you need to go out and do something, what do you say?" Tatsaki smiled at her friend, it had felt like months since she had seen her.

"I don't know; what do you want to do?" Inoue said absentmindedly as she continued to think about Ichigo and Rukia.

"Lets go shopping," Tatsaki said and Inoue looked at her and smiled, "We haven't been shopping in forever."

"Oh I know that sounds really fun, can you go today?" Inoue said now thinking of all the things she wanted to buy. She needed new clothes so badly, and some underwear. Maybe some perfume, and most definitely more make-up.

"Yeah I don't have practice today," Tatsaki said glad that her friend still wanted to hang out with her. They had seemed to fall apart these past months and now it seemed like Inoue had everything settled with her family, so why not rekindle?

After school Inoue and Tatsaki walked around downtown window shopping and going in stores that they knew they would buy something in. So far they had bought cute summer dresses and a few shirts plus a jacket to wear over their school uniform. Autumn was quite far away still but it was so cute they had to buy it then; surely it would be gone by the time fall came around.

"Lets get some slushies," Tatsaki suggested pulling on Inoue's arm and dragging her into the closest convenient store. Though she really did have to drag Inoue because she was thinking the exact same thing. Together they headed straight for the slushie machine in the back of the store. Tatsaki grabbed a smaller cup while Inoue grabbed the biggest cup available.

"You are such a pig, your boobs are just going to get bigger if you continue to eat like that," Tatsaki scolded and laughed at the same time. Inoue stopped filing her cup and looked over to her friend with a sad face. "Or maybe you want to have bigger boobs?"

"Hai," Inoue laughed and topped off her cup and placed a lid on it. "I'm actually aiming to get some more junk in the butt," she said sounding out the rhyme but knowing that it wasn't how it really went. "Right that's what they call it?"

"I don't think so, but you are pretty close I'm sure," Tatsaki said as she filled her cup up while digging in her pocket at the same time. She struggled so she placed her cup on the counter and began to do the get out of my pocket dance. She had the wad of money in her hand but it wouldn't come out of her pocket for some strange reason.

"I'll pay," Inoue finally said as she finished filling Tatsaki cup for her and putting a lid on it and grabbing her a straw. "Here," she said smiling as she handed it over to the other woman. They made their way to the register and waited their turn in line behind some woman waiting to get her meal heated up. Finally the microwave on the timer dinged and the worker took the meal and handed it to the woman.

The woman bowed and turned almost knocking completely in to Tatsaki behind her. "I'm so sorry," the brunette said thankful that she had not dropped her food.

"Keiko," Inoue said looking suspiciously at the young girl in front of them.

"Inoue I didn't even notice you," Keiko said smiling and slightly bowing to the woman she had just met the night before.

"How do you know her? She's a college student," Tatsaki said as she looked at the girls Toudai uniform.

"She's a friend of a friend," Keiko said smiling before saying good-bye to find some where to sit and eat her dinner.

"Whose this friend?" Tatsaki eye balled her as Inoue paid the bill and they left the store together and Keiko was no where to be found.

"Some guy I met last week," Inoue said taking a long gulp of her slushie.

"What's his name?" Tatsaki said as they walked over to a bench and sat down. Inoue had never seemed interested in any other guy besides Ichigo. What in the world had happened to her friend? Well whoever this guy was she wanted to meet him and make sure he was going to be good to and for her best friend.

"Kurama," she said remembering his face as she gulped on, she was already almost to the half way point. Should she tell her anymore, it wasn't like she was dating the guy? She wasn't even sure if she should even have a crush on him or not. Well she had never really hid anything from Tatsaki before, so why start now. Well not including the whole Shinigami and stuff like that. "I accidentally bumped into him the other day and he was so nice, and I kind of ran away. Though it seems like everywhere I go he is there, and we even went to dinner the other night, but it wasn't like a date or anything."

"You think he might be a stalker?" Tatsaki asked as she listened to Inoue ramble on and on.

"No, you know Rukia said the same thing," Inoue said looking up at the sky, maybe he was. No they were all just coincidences she was sure of it, he wasn't that type of person.

"So you see, they are a under branch," Koenma said as he leaned back in his chair and looked at the 2 men sitting across his desk. "They know nothing about us or me and you aren't supposed to know about them."

"Botan is a shinigami, we know about her," Kurama said his leg crossed over the other and his elbow resting on his knee. He knew Koenma wouldn't tell him everything he needed to know but he was reliable for some information.

"She is a special Shinigami," Koenma said as she crossed his toddler like arms and put his feet up on his desk. "She escorts people here that have died before they were supposed to; like Yusuke was," he continued trying to think of an easier way to explain it all. "The Seireitei is split into 13 squads and they each have a specific duty within the Soul Society. There is one group that contains only 5 members and they are a special task force. Each person in this squad is responsible for something different. In the Soul Society they consider these people to be in Squad Zero; as you can imagine it very complicated."

Kurama shifted in his seat and looked at Hiei sitting next to him. Hiei seemed really uninterested; he was most concerned with matters involving the demon world not the spirit world. "Sir, do I have permission to research this further. I have no intentions except for knowledge. Also I am would like some more data on a skill called rejection," Kurama said as he crossed mental fingers in his head.

"Denied," Koenma said almost immediately after Kurama had finished talking. "There is a reason you aren't allowed to know about them."

"What is that reason?" Hiei finally spoke, Koenma's rejection had brought him back to subject at hand. What was he trying to hide from Kurama, were these people something special. Maybe they were very dangerous, or maybe Koenma didn't want anything bad to happen? Did Koenma even know that they had met some of these Shinigami's?

"That is none of your business," Koenma said eyeing Hiei hoping to get some sort of reaction. When nothing else was said he looked back at Kurama, "Why rejection?"

"No reason, I just was reading something in a history book and thoughts just started to flow," Kurama said not wanting to reveal anything at all about Inoue. She was his and Hiei's little secret; he didn't even want to tell Yusuke about her ability.

"Fine but just so you know nobody has been able to completely master the ability, and we haven't heard anything new about it for centuries. But that's the only thing I am grating you permission to search," Koenma said folding his arms for emphasis. What sort of crazy history book was Kurama reading? Kurama and Hiei both stood up to leave and Koenma stayed silent until they reached the door. "If you ever meet a Shinigami don't ever go near them again."

"Understood," Kurama said and Hiei nodded as they left his office and headed towards the database room. "If Inoue won't give me any information and Koenma won't then I guess I'm out of luck," Kurama said as they strolled down the hallway.

"What if he finds out you've been looking at the classified files about the Soul Society?" Hiei said watching carefully as workers walked past them.

"I wonder if Botan will tell us anything, and I want to know who these other Zero members are," Kurama said shoving his hands in his pockets and thinking if it was a good idea to ask her or not.

"Who knew Botan was smart enough to be on a special force?" Hiei smirked wishing she had been around to hear his remark.

"Hm," Kurama said almost as if it was a little laugh, but he didn't want to be obvious it was pretty mean. They finally reached the door to the computer room and Kurama rubbed his eyes, if things were only simpler.

"See ya," Hiei said as he continued walking, he had places to go. He was still the border controller of the demon world after all. His week vacation was up, and now it was time for him to return to job.

"Later," Kurama said as he opened the door and walked in the room. Maybe he should as Botan or would it be best to wait and hear it from Inoue? What if Inoue never told him, what if she was playing him? She was very smart girl after all, she knew some tricks. Plus there was always a chance that Botan would refuse to tell him if he asked her. If Botan was as smart as her job title implied then she would know better than to tell anyone about it. On the other side she was rather ditsy, but now thinking about it he was sure it was just an act. There was no way a girl who acted like that all the time was really as important as she was supposed to be.

He groaned as he sat down at the computer in the dark room and opened up the case file search and typed in "Rejection". Only 2 files came up, Koenma was right, not too much information on this.

He clicked on the first file and it just explained about a man who had tried to figure it out. He was a Chinese kung fu master named Mai Xong Gei, and he traveled to Japan to learn more about it. His search lead him to a village on the northern Island called Ino, where it was said that long ago a monk had mastered the art. For years he researched and listened to stories that had been passed down to the villagers. The day he died he told his only follower that 'Rejection is not for humans to understand so I die now happy knowing that when I reach the river Styx I will be able to grasp it in my hands.'

Kurama closed the file and looked at the other one, he hoped that it was about the monk. The other article hadn't even told anything about the story's Mai Xong was told. Maybe the legend died with him? He looked at the name on the case file which read Gunga Inoue; he had the same last name as Orihime. Was she related to the monk who had supposedly mastered rejection, was that the reason she had? As he read further he found that Gunga was the only student of Mai Xong and he had continued research after he had died. He discovered the power was brought forth by something special owned by the person trying to achieve rejection. Also the power was only brought out in the monk after he had come in contact with someone with a high spiritual pressure.

He monk was said to of been able to heal a cripple or serious injury by conjuring up a shield with his staff. It was even said he was able to grow a new limb on an amputee. Though sadly even though he had been great at healing he was unable to protect himself or attack an opponent defensively. In the end it caused his death, when something went horribly wrong in an experiment and an orange streak of light pierced him through the heart.

Gunga had found out about what the monk could accomplish and what he was limitations were. But like his predecessor he was unable to explain it and the science behind it. He died in vain as his family shunned him and the village refused to acknowledge his findings. The article finished off saying that the only person to believe in him was his grand daughter Aoihime but she didn't continue his research.

"Well that's something at least," Kurama said as he closed the article and stared at the screen. Maybe there was some unexplainable cases that could be answered by rejection? But what to search, he thought about it for a while before typing in 'regrowth', finally a bunch of article and cases popped up on the screen. But healing wasn't the only thing a person could do with rejection, Inoue could do much more. He looked behind him at the dark empty wall, had Inoue mastered the whole art of rejection? How was an ordinary girl able to do such a great thing?

**A/n: So at the end there I thought that I would try to explain Rejection in my own terms because in the bleach world it seems all but a mystery except to Aizen. So I tried to make it so it wasn't like a complete explaination or anything, I feel like when I do that that it ruins the story, I hope you don't feel that way. PLEASE KEEP READING!! Unlike my other Bleach story...everyone hates it now. **


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Thank you for allowing me to come over," Kurama said as he took a sip of his grapefruit and banana tea. He watched as Inoue finished pouring herself a cup and then set the kettle on the table in front of her. If she wouldn't tell him about her power or the Shinigami, maybe she would tell him her past? How did she first discover this unbelievable power of hers?

"No thank you for coming to give me some company, I haven't seen you all week," she said before blowing on her tea to cool it down. "Sorry if the tea is really hot," she said looking at her own steaming tea in her hand.

"It's delicious," he said giving her a reassuring look as she looked hesitantly at her own. He watched as she took a sip and dropped her cup in her lap as she grabbed her tongue. She realized the burning sensation in her lap and stood up quickly and stumbled backwards hitting her head on the handle on her refrigerator door. She instantly crumpled to the floor and Kurama for a moment was stunned. He shook his head as he stood up and ran to her side and tried to pick her up and carry her to a safe open floor. On his second try he got her into his arms and slowly took her to the spot where she usually set up her bed.

Gently he set her down and grabbed a pillow out of the corner of the room and placed it under her head. After a minute she still didn't wake up or respond to him so he opened her eye lid to see if her pupil would respond to the light. As soon as he did this her eyes fluttered open and she turned her head away from him. Sighing he moved some hair away from her face, "Are you alright?"

She sat up and buried her bright red face into her hands; did she really just do that? She was such a scatterbrain sometimes, and it was always embarrassing. She heard him repeat his question and she pulled her hands away and looked at them. He asked her again and she finally looked at him, "Yes, sorry."

"Does your freezer door usually attack you like that?" He said trying to joke but she didn't seem to find it funny. Or was there really something medically wrong with her, a concussion? Why wasn't she laughing or even smiling? "I'm sorry, I'm horrible at jokes."

"No, it's just; this is really embarrassing because I always hit my head on the fridge. Plus I had just warned you the tea was hot and then," She felt like slapping her self across the face, here he was trying to make her feel better and all she could do was think about how stupid she was.

"You are a very interesting girl," he said calmly tilting his head a little so he could see more of her face. Slowly she let her hands drift away from her face, that face that so solemn and beautiful. He almost choked on his next words, "Did you know that?"

"Well if by interesting you mean, clumsy and air headed," she said slowly as she stared at her lap. She couldn't look at him, he was probably smiling or silently laughing at her, she just knew it.

"That is not what I meant at all, I very much like hanging out with you," he said just wanting those gray eyes to look at him. Her stunning gray eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul every time he saw them looking at him or anytime he thought about her.

"Do I make you laugh?" she said trying not to snap at him, but she felt as if he was mocking her. He was saying she was an entertaining and a good easy laugh.

"Sometimes, but only when I know you are trying to make me laugh," he said knowing she seemed very upset. He couldn't just come out and say that she was so cute it made him laugh at all the silly things she did. Suddenly his eyes widened as she finally turned to look at him.

He wasn't smiling, he wasn't silently laughing at her, he was just looking at her. Looking her directly in the face, he even seemed a little worried. His expression made her laugh a little and she turned away from him again, "I'm sorry." She felt his hand on her shoulder and she looked at his hand, why was it there? Slowly she followed the hand up his arm, shoulder, neck, and finally reached his face. He was still just looking at her, his head tilted slightly to the side still, he was truly seeing her.

"I very much like being around you Inoue," He said nodding his head a little as she started to smile. "Now are you sure you are okay?" He said trying to inspect the head for bumps or something, but her large amount of redish hair made it a little tough.

"Yes I'm fine," she said and he sat back away from her a little. Her head turned to look out her kitchen window and she saw the bright half moon staring at her. "Would you like to go out on the roof and look at the moon with me?" She asked turning and seeing he was looking at the same moon. He nodded and stood up before helping her to her feet and she lead him over to the kitchen window.

"We have to go out there?" He said second guessing this whole plan, "Maybe we could go sit out on your front steps or something."

"No this window isn't that small," she said as she pulled it open and hopped up on the kitchen counter. She could feel his hands near her but he wasn't touching her, was he afraid she would fall? She made her way out the window with ease and crawled out onto the flat shingled roof. She turned to help Kurama through and he seemed to not struggle at all as he swiftly made his way out with her.

Once they were both on the roof she ran to the middle placing her hands on her hips and looking up at the bright half moon. He watched her as he stood next to the window, he hoped the people below them couldn't not hear them clambering around. He found a spot against the wall and sat leaning his back on it. After a few moments she turned and ran back over to him and sat next to him.

This girl, she was just so cute and silly, he found himself saying over and over in his mind. There was just no other way to describe her, she was just cute and silly, and there was no other way to put it. He rest his head on the side of the apartment and looked out at the sky above them. The stars shined so brightly, even the moon seemed to have a different glow to it. He turned to look at Inoue and seeing the moonlight shine on her smooth skin. She looked best in that light, that light that he was seeing in her now; he tried to mentally capture the image.

Inoue could feel his eyes staring at her and for some strange reason it didn't bother her. It just didn't seem uncomfortable like it felt when guys normally looked at her. Normally guys would just be looking at her breasts, but not once had she caught Kurama doing such a thing. He was such a gentleman, how did she get so luck as to befriend a man like that? Especially a man that was only a few years older than her, she thought only old men acted like this. The thought of Kurama being an old man made her smile as she tried not to laugh out loud.

"What is so funny?" Kurama said seeing her smile all of a sudden as if she was ready to burst out laughing. As soon as he had said something she just well burst out laughing and waving her hands.

"Nothing I just had a funny thought, I think I want to draw a picture about it later and show Tatsuki," she said trying to control her self but it was very hard with that image stuck on her mind.

"Who is Tatsuki?" he asked not knowing she had any other friends besides the ones he had met.

"Oh she is just a friend I have had for ever since my brother died," She said still smiling, yes Tatsuki had always been there for her. "She's my bestest friend in the entire world, she watches out for me, since you know I don't really know how to take care of myself."

"I think you can take care of yourself very well considering," he said knowing this was his chance, his only opportunity to ask about her past. "Do you mind if I ask what happened to your brother?"

"No I mean, it's not anything horrible. We ran away from my parents and he started to take care of me all by himself. Then one day he got in a car accident and he died," she said trying to put the situation simply. She didn't like it when people felt sorry for her so she tried to make it sound not so tragic.

"Why did you 2 run away?" He asked not know what he would do if his little brother died, if anyone he loved died. He had to go through almost losing his mother once and it was the worst thing he had ever experienced.

"I don't really remember, I was only 3, but my brother told me they were bad people. That they would hit him and they neglected me all the time, so I'm thankful he did what he did," she said as a strand of hair fell into her face as she looked down at her feet. She quickly pulled it back behind her ear and waited for his reaction.

"I see, he did a very good thing then," he said knowing that she didn't want his pity; him saying he was sorry was not what she wanted to hear. When his mother was sick people would always tell him they were sorry and sent flowers giving their apologizes. Never once had anyone ever told him everything was going to be okay and that his mother would get better. So on some level he understood what she was feeling, but he was sad that she had to feel that sort of pain in her life.

"I guess," she said as she began to wring her hands together in front of her. Why was she getting anxious all of a sudden? "I feel bad because I want to meet them, but I know I will be disappointed. Or I would feel as if I was letting down Sora because he tried so hard to keep them away from me."

"I think you should just consider them as good as dead, just because they gave you life doesn't mean they deserve to see you after the way they treated you and your brother," he said trying to say the right thing. He sort of felt as if he was just rambling, he knew that it would be a bad thing for her to see them, but at the same time he didn't want to be mean about it. "I don't know, it's just," he stopped and couldn't think of another thing to say.

"A sticky situation," she finished for him and looked up at him. She felt sad, but it was a lighter sadness then she had ever felt about the whole thing before. It was as if it didn't go as deep, or hurt as much, was she just getting use to it? "You know, he gave these to me as a gift," she said reaching up and touching her snowflake shaped pins on either side of her head.

"They look good on you," he said feeling as if he needed to say something but he was completely unaware of what it was. So instead he just said something random that anyone would have said.

"At first I hated them; I mean I wasn't a little girl, so I never wore them," she paused for a moment before continuing. "He gave them to me the day he died, and I had been so upset at him, then before I knew it he was gone. So as a vow I promised to wear them always," she said as she unclipped one and he held his hand out as she gave it to him.

He looked at it carefully, so at first they were just berets, but now they had meaning behind them. Therefore it was the reason her power came from them, but he was still unsure how it all came about. He held it out in front of him and twisted it a little and it glistened in the moons light. Even now as he held it he couldn't feel anything special radiating from it, not even a little spirit energy. Why did rejection have to be such a mystery?

"What is that?" She squealed all of a sudden and pointed to something off in the distance.

Kurama followed her figure to a collection of trash cans where a demented looking dark figure stood. He squinted his eyes and tried to see what or who it was, and then he saw it. There were 2 figures, one was large and disfigured and the other had the smell of a demon. He stood up quick, "Get back inside," he told her and she nodded and clambered back into her house to watch. He ran and jumped off the roof and landed on his feet and quickly sped off to a side where he wouldn't be seen.

He creeped closer to the scene and tried to remain unseen for as long as possible; though sooner or later he would have to jump in. He watched as the misfigured person? No it wasn't a person he looked at it longer it wasn't a demon either, but he knew the other figure was. It was something different, it was ugly, it was bulky, and it seemed very stupid.

As if the ugly creature heard him thinking about him it turned and looked directly at Kurama. A hole? The creature had a hole in the middle of its chest and Kurama wonder if this was another one of those hollows. The creature didn't really seem to mind that he was there and turned back to the frightened demon.

The hollow threw its disfigured head back and screeched before he grabbed the demon and ate him. He just swallow him and he was gone, inside the hollow. Kurama couldn't believe what he was seeing he looked back at Inoue's house and she was standing on the porch completely frightened. What in the world, Rukia had said that hollows only ate souls of humans, not an entire demon!

The hollow turned back to him and started to get closer he wanted to eat Kurama as well. Luckily Kurama was smarter than this thing was and he took out his rose whip. "I'd advise you to just leave but I can not let you keep living like this," he told it and it took a step backwards. Suddenly a black warped space hole appeared behind the hollow and he stepped backwards in it and suddenly he disappeared. "Damn," Kurama said as he put his rose whip away. These things they were absorbing demons? If they did this would they change, would they become stronger, would they be more dangerous? Whatever the reason he knew this wasn't good, he had to tell Koenma.

He walked back up to where Inoue stood on her porch and she no longer seemed scared just out of it. "What happened? Did that hollow eat the person?" She said as he approached and he ushered her inside before he would tell her.

"Inoue I'm a spirit detective, my job is to fight bad demons that make their way to earth," He said not already knowing she knew what he was. "I work with a completely different part of the spirit world, higher up I guess you would say, but it looks like…well that hollow thing just absorbed a demon," he said looking away from her and off to the side. This was going to be messy, really messy.

"Was it a demon spirit?" she asked knowing that the hollow had most certainly attacked something that looked solid.

"No, it wasn't," he said and he heard her gasped so he looked back up at her. Was it safe to work with these Shinigami? Koenma told him to stay away from them, did he know this was going to happen? No, Koenma wouldn't let something like this happened, he was just being stubborn. Now Kurama had to work with them, with or without Koenma knowing or getting his permission. Maybe it would be best to just keep it all a secret from him, who cared of the consequences, they didn't seem like bad people.

**A/n:YAY! A PLOT I FINALLY THOUGHT OF A PLOT!! Anyways, thanks for all the reviews so far i feel so loved, keep them a coming PWEASE? And i just want to let y'all know that i'm writing a new story its going to be a RenjixMatsumoto paired story, its going to be really good i cant wait. **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Kurama sat uncomfortably silent as he sat with Inoue, Ichigo, Rukia, and Ishida at some man named Urahara's shop. He glanced over at the huge man with black hair and glasses sitting Indian style a little ways from him. 'Tessai, was his name?' Kurama thought as his eyes traveled from Tessai over to a girl with purple hair and an even brighter orange jacket and slimming black tights. Kurama wasn't sure if she had mentioned her name or not.

Kurama's gaze then traveled over to Ishida's whose attention seemed to be fully on Inoue as she spoke. He wasn't sure why Inoue had brought him here, but he decided to be quite and listen.

"So the hollow absorbed it?" Rukia asked when Inoue had finished the story, she seemed very worried. Never had Rukia heard of Hollows absorbing, usually they just ate the souls of the dead. What were these demons anyways? Was this really that big of an issue, or had this always been going on and it wasn't anything to be worrying about? Hopefully Urahara would be able to help them or know something about it.

"Yeah, right Kurama," Inoue said looking over at Kurama who was almost in the corner of the room.

"Yes," Kurama said as he never took his eyes off of Ishida. This man, there was something different about him, he was different then the others. What was his story? Why was he so interested in Inoue? He felt a little anger grow inside him but he quickly let it subside as he wondered why he was angry. Suddenly he realized that Ishida was looking at him and he looked around and everyone was looking at him. "Um," he said hoping that might answer their question.

"What are demons," The sandy blonde man called Urahara asked with squinting eyes.

"Demons, well, they are a type of creature," Kurama said he never really had to answer that question before, usually people knew what a demon was. He could show them, but he had sealed Youko away forever.

"Are they mean?" Rukia asked curiously, like she always was.

"Not all of them," Kurama said knowing that if they just asked questions then eventually he would have to at least tell them.

"Are they ugly?" Inoue asked making an ugly face to imply ugly.

"Some of them," Kurama said thinking of all the pretty demons he had seen in the past, he guessed that Youko would be considered one of these pretty demons.

"Wait let me draw a picture," Rukia said as she took out a notebook and began to draw. Kurama watched as the girl with purple hair leaned over and laughed. Finally Rukia finished her drawing and presented it to the group and they all shook their heads and said 'oh.' Well with the exception of Ishida, Ichigo and Kurama who just looked at Rukia in disbelief.

"No," Kurama said looking at the mutate giraffe with a cape and green spots instead of brown.

"Well then you draw one," The woman with purple hair offered to Kurama.

"Rukia you really need to take a sketching class or something," Ichigo said taking the notebook from her hand and tossing it aside.

"Yes, I agree," Ishida said as he readjusted his glasses on his nose. Rukia sighed hunching her shoulders and looked down at the table below her.

"Well, you have met a demon," Kurama said looking at Inoue, Ichigo and Rukia simultaneously. Well there was another person besides him that he could blow their cover. "Hiei is a demon," he said simply.

"Whose that?" Ichigo looked at Inoue who looked terrified.

"He's that little black angry man!" Inoue squealed throwing her arms up to her chest. Hiei was mean and cold, he must have been one of the bad demons.

"He has a small temper, but he is actually not that bad," Kurama said surprised by Inoue's reaction; Hiei had most definitely calmed down in the years.

"He was a little cute. Was that big guy a demon?" Ichigo asked remembering the big oaf who seemed to want to fight everyone.

"Which guy?" Kurama asked back not sure who he was talking about.

"That red headed guy," Ichigo clarified looking next to Rukia who looked at him with a weird face.

"Kuwabara?" Kurama asked wondering when in the world did he meet Kuwabara. "Oh, no he is a human and so is Yusuke," Kurama remembered when he had met Ichigo and Rukia for the first time Hiei and Kuwabara were with him.

"And you?" Urahara asked still with his suspicious face, there just was something wrong with this red headed man. Never in a million years did Urahara think he would be in a room with 4 redheads, the fourth being Jinta.

"Well, that's complicated," Kurama thought about it, his soul was both human and demon; but since he had chosen no longer to be his demon half then he was human?

"Try us," Ishida said as he looked at Kurama with sharp blue eyes. If Inoue was going to hang around this guy then he better be normal.

"Well I used to be a demon but I got hurt so I hid in a woman and then I was born as a human," he said and all of their jaws had dropped, yeah he knew it sounded bad.

"That's kind of gross," Ichigo said bluntly not caring that he was offending Kurama.

"I know, my demon half isn't very polite, but I've relinquished him and I am now just human," he said trying to make it sound better then it could have been.

"So you are just human now?" Ishida asked; no Inoue should not be hanging out with this guy.

'Sure,' Kurama thought but instead he said, "Yes". If they knew then they would, they would shun him? Not in a long time had Kurama felt so awkward and disgusted in himself. To tell the truth it was a little off putting, these kids would never understand.

"I don't believe you," Urahara said as his expression hardened. "Is this what demons look like or can you change into something nasty?"

"My demon form wasn't much different than this one, Hiei's is exactly how he looks now. Some are more human like than others, that's just the way it is," Kurama said going on the defensive, these people now hated him.

"Kurama what if the Hollows want to absorb you?!" Inoue screamed loudly after being quiet for so long. She felt like crying, what if a hollow absorbed him? What would she do, yeah she had only known him for a few weeks but he was still her friend?

They all looked at her, was she on this demons side?

"Inoue," Ichigo said trying to get her attention. Inoue never looked at him she just slowly stood up and excused herself running out the door. "What did you do to her?" Ichigo accusingly looked at Kurama who seemed just as shocked.

"I can confidently say I didn't do anything," Kurama said looking at the door she had just ran out. Why was she so upset? "Excuse me," he nodded standing up but he felt as if something was wrong. He turned to see Ichigo's hand out stretched to him but Urahara and Rukia was holding him back. Was Ichigo going to grab him? He sighed, yes, they didn't want him to be here any longer, he was a demon. They didn't care that things like him were being absorbed.

When he walked out of the shop he decided maybe it would just be best to head home, it was getting late. His step-dad would worry, his step-dad had become just as big of worrier as his mother. This was the reason Koenma wanted him to stay away from the Shinigami, he knew that would persecute like they had just done. Next time Koenma told him to stay away from someone or something he would listen.

"Kurama," he heard his name and he turned to see Inoue standing in the moonlight and shadow of the shop. She wasn't crying she just seemed a little, wry.

"I'm sorry," he said not moving but she was walking towards him. She didn't seem afraid of him in the least, was she truly worried he would be absorbed by a hollow?

"I don't care who you are, you said that you were human now right?" She asked as she looked up at him. He wasn't as tall as Ichigo but he was still taller than her, it didn't make her neck hurt to look up at him.

"Well, yes, I guess," he said not really wanting to lie to her. She was standing in her best light again and he was suddenly feeling very embarrassed.

"Will you still be my friend and come visit me?" she asked not wanting to lose him as friend, she didn't know his whole past, but she knew he wasn't a bad guy. He wasn't demon-like in any way, shape, or form.

"If you like," he smiled, but he knew that her friends would probably tell her that she could never see him again. If she needed someone though, he wouldn't think twice about being there for her.

"Good, are you leaving?" She said looking back at Urahara's shop and then up at Kurama again.

"Yes, while you don't seem to care your friends do. Just try not to cause them any unneeded problems, Okay?" He said knowing she would probably try to convince them that he was a nice guy or something.

"Yes," she said nodding and looking up at the moon. "Well goodnight then," she said stepping back from him.

"Goodnight," Kurama said as he turned and started to walk away but he heard Inoue murmur something and he looked back at her.

"Don't let a Hollow get you, okay?" She said with a tiny frown and sad eyes.

"I won't," Kurama smiled to reassure her and then he made his way home.

On his walk home he spotted Yusuke walking out of an arcade and right at him. He stopped and waited for Yusuke to come to him, he looked angry. Did he lose a game or lots of money?

"What do you think you are doing?" Yusuke said looking up at Kurama his face all red.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Kurama said completely caught off guard, he couldn't remember the last time Yusuke had actually been mad at him, Yusuke had never been truly mad at him.

"Botan told me that Koenma told you to stay away from those guys, and I know you have been with them," Yusuke shouted pointing a finger at Kurama.

"Yusuke, don't worry about me, I won't be seeing any of them again," Kurama said feeling even more like a complete idiot and depressed.

Yusuke faltered and looked very confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that they found out I was a demon and they didn't seem to accept it," Kurama said looking down at the ground.

"Uh," Yusuke said looking at his friend forgetting that he was mad at him. Never had he seen Kurama this down since the first time he had met him. "How did that happen?"

"Tonight I saw one of those Hollows absorb a live demon," Kurama said still not wanting to look up from the ground. Like Yusuke would even care, he wasn't a spirit detective any longer; Kurama was the only one left. Even if Yusuke did care, he was getting married soon, so what did it matter?

"Wha? Did you tell Koenma yet?" Yusuke said knowing that this wasn't a good thing. What if the demon had been absorbed on purpose and then later it will take its power and energy to become a powerful demon?

"No, I'm not going to worry about, I just have to be careful," Kurama said a little scared that Yusuke seemed so ready to go and fight.

**A/n: Yeah, so if you like this story you should read my new story, its called Impossible or is it?, its cute and cool, its going to be a romancish fic with Matsumoto and Renji, maybe, i have to see if i can work it out if i keep them in character. So if you didn't catch the drift, Inoue won't be able to see Kurama again without making Ichigo and co. mad. Review??  
**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What's got Inoue so down?" Ichigo asked Tatsuki as they all walked home together, but Inoue was a few feet behind them.

"I don't but I bet it has something to do with that guy she liked," Tatsuki said looking back at her friend. Inoue had barely said anything to her even after she had threatened her and everything. Tatsuki was unsure of what her next step was, but what ever it was she needed to get her friend to forget that guy.

Ichigo suddenly felt him self feeling very angry that she was worrying so much about that demon guy. He was a demon and he was dangerous, what did Inoue like about him so much? Kurama could of hurt her, and she would have been helpless, they all would have been a little helpless fighting him, they didn't know what he was capable of. "Well she should know better than to let a guy get her down," he said loudly so Inoue could hear his opinion on the matter. It wasn't just his idea to tell her to cut all ties with the demon it had been suggested by Urahara, if Urahara thought this guy was dangerous, than he was.

"Ichigo," Rukia said as she elbowed him in the side, it didn't really seem to faze him but she did get a death glare from him. He didn't need to hurt her feelings anymore, she sighed, if only he could just keep his big mouth shut for once.

"What?" He said as he stopped walking and looked down at the dark hair girl. Didn't Rukia feel the same way?

"Just shut up every once in a while will ya?" Rukia said as she continued to walk and didn't look back at him. The nerve he had to say things some times, it was true, but still he didn't have to keep saying it over and over again.

"Don't tell me what to do," Ichigo screamed at her as she just kept walking away from him. "Rukia!"

Rukia slowly turned around and giving Ichigo the look as she spun, is he trying to boss her around? When Ichigo didn't say anything further she spun back and continued to walk home, alone. What an arrogant fool, he had no right telling Inoue that she couldn't see Kurama again.

Later that night there was a knock at Ichigo's door and he didn't even move from the bed as Rukia came waltzing in a moment later. Ichigo didn't want to look at her, she was being so mean lately and she thinks she could just come in his room like that? He refocused his attention at the stars out his window as he felt her sit at the end of his bed.

"Ichigo, can we just think about this a little more?" Rukia said feeling very guilty and second guessing their decision.

"No, it's already been settled, she can mope all she wants but she can not see the monster," he said as he tucked his arms behind his head but his gaze never wavered from the stars.

"We don't know if he is a monster, he did say that he gave it up, he wants to be a human," Rukia debated with him but he showed no emotion. She felt as if she was talking to her brother or something. "Will you just think about this?"

"No, stay out of it!" Ichigo shouted as he sat up and looked at her. Why was this so hard for her to understand, he was dangerous?

"But I mean he saw that awful thing, the hollows have seemed to be a little quiet lately," Rukia said as she looked down at her hands down in her lap. There was definitely something going on and they had stop it.

"So," Ichigo said wondering why she seemed so sad, was it really bothering her that much? "Rukia, if some horrible Hollow/Demon shows up then we can take care of it without him."

"He's a demon, we should be protecting him!" Rukia shouted clenching her fists as she turned to him. He may be a demon but Inoue only had good things to say about him, he had never done anything for them to believe he was a bad guy. He was trying to help them by telling them about the Hollow, he was trying to help and they just…

"We don't know what he is capable of, even Urahara said he was dangerous," Ichigo said as he let the guilt of the situation hit him.

"Urahara isn't always right you know," Rukia said as she stood up and walked out of the room. She had to get out of this house; she had to get away from Ichigo. Since when did Ichigo refuse to listen to her?

She head down the street to the nearest convenient store to buy a magazine or something just to cool down.

"Hey girl," a familiar voice called from above? Rukia looked up in the dark sky and didn't see anyone. "Over and down a little," the voice said this time Rukia saw who it was.

"You?" She said as she watched Yusuke jump from the wall to ground right in front of her.

"Listen I don't know what you guys did to my friend, but he isn't a bad guy in the least," Yusuke said as he stuck his face in hers and stared her down. "His boss told him not to go around you guys but he didn't listen because he knew you guys had to know what he saw."

"Would it be your boss as well?" Rukia said contorting her face as she took a step back from him.

"No, well I don't do that anymore, actually Kurama is the only spirit detective now a days," Yusuke said as he scratched his cheek thinking about it. "Anyways, Kurama is never the person to go against Koenma and he did it because he wanted to help you."

"Well you are telling this to the wrong person, I'm sort of on his side," Rukia said crossing her arms and looking off into a street. There she saw something she never expected and quickly she went into Shinigami form and ran up to it. She could sense Yusuke following closely behind her.

She slid to a stop as she looked up at the huge creature, it was like nothing she had never seen before. It was a smaller Hollow but it had a pair of legs sticking out of its mouth, and the thing in its mouth had a very strong spiritual pressure. "What is this?" She said to herself as the Hollow quickly finished devouring its meal and it began to roar and light began to shine from the hole in its chest. She watched as the hole seemed to fill in and the brownish color of it began to turn black.

"It just ate a demon!" Yusuke said as he stood next to her and felt very sick about what he was seeing. It was a very strong demon and yet it had just let that thing just eat it whole! The demon hadn't even fought back, which was extremely rare for a demon.

"It seems to be morphing," Rukia said to Yusuke who shook his head in agreement.

"Very good," a dark voice came from somewhere and then a clapping noise was heard. Rukia and Yusuke quickly looked around for the source of the voice and finally Yusuke spotted her standing on a lamp post directly above them. Yusuke pointed up to her and Rukia saw her as well as the woman seemed to jump off the post and land in front of them.

She had long blue hair pinned back in a bun with chopsticks and her facial features were completely disgusting. She had the face of a Hollow but no where on her did she have a hole or any bone. She wore a pink Chinese style dress and Chinese shoes that matched her albino skin perfectly.

"As you can see I am not completely finished, I only have to devour a pretty demon and then my face will change," she smirked as she talked and slowly started to walk towards Yusuke.

"Don't come any closer," Yusuke said as he held his hands out in front of him with is fingers pointed at her.

"Oh?" The woman said and she stopped walking and seemed to look out past the two under the lamp with her.

"Who are you? Are you a Hollow?" Rukia said as she drew her sword and pointed it out to the mysterious woman. Was she a product of the Hollow's absorbing the demons they ate?

"Why of course I used to be a Hollow, but as you can see nothing about me is Hollow any longer," she said looking at Rukia with the same devious smirk that never seemed to leave her face.

"Then what are you?" Yusuke shouted at her and the woman then looked back at him.

"Why I would be what you considered a complete Arrancar, my dear," she said before she started to laugh as she looked at the other Hollow near her struggling with his changing, "Go back now!" She commanded him and the large black sphere formed and consumed the struggling Hollow and he disappeared.

"A complete what?" Yusuke asked as he glanced over at Rukia and she seemed to be in complete shock. "WHAT IS THAT?" he screamed at her but she just seemed to daze as she stared at the woman.

"My you don't know I figured you were a Shinigami, but then again you aren't wearing one of those hideous black robes now are you?" She hissed at him but the object in the distance caught her attention again.

"Stupid woman," Yusuke shouted as a large white spirit ball appeared at the tips of his fingers. He knew this was no place to fight, but he had to do something, this woman was crazy. Whatever she was he could take her, he had taken on a lot worse than her before.

Rukia's attention turned to Yusuke's hands as the ball grew a little more, what was he doing? He was unleashing an attack of pure spirit energy? Wouldn't that just drain him, after an attack with that much spirit energy he wouldn't have any left, right? As he unleashed the attack she felt the pressure and was unable to stand at it. At first it didn't seem like that much of a problem she could of handled it but when he let go it felt as if a Captain level had unleashed an all out attack.

Yusuke watched as the woman held out her hand and the ball seemed to bounce right off of her and into the air. "What the heck?" He said watching his attack go straight up into the sky. He knew it wasn't one of his strongest attacks but it had enough energy behind to completely demolish a sky scraper!

"What are you boy?" The woman's eyes narrowed on him as she was completely dumbfounded by his attack. An attack of pure spirit energy, that was never done, unless you were stupid. Plus that attack held a lot of energy and yet he didn't even seemed fazed as he hadn't even broken a sweat as he stood in front of her.

"None of your damn business," he said and he looked over and saw that Rukia was on the ground. Had he injured her accidentally?

"I see, well I will have to think about this," the woman said as the black sphere appeared and she quickly jumped into it and disappeared with it.

"Are you crazy?" Rukia shouted as he helped her up from the ground, "Who uses pure spirit energy in an attack?"

"Well that wasn't even a lot," he said as he eyed her for any cuts or scrapes but he didn't see any.

"What do you mean? I couldn't even stand the spiritual pressure was so great," she said looking at him amazed. Did he really think that was a little attack? "Who the hell are you?"

"Yusuke Urameshi," he said confused, didn't she already know who he was?

"You have as much strength as a captain level in the Seireitei," she said and he just stared at her blankly. "Right you don't know what that is," she said rolling her eyes, she really didn't feel like explaining it to him.

"Whatever, anyways by the looks of it you have a big problem. My advice would be to let Kurama help, he is just as strong as I am if not stronger, he really is a good guy," Yusuke said before he started to walk away.

"Wait," Rukia said and he turned back around and looked at her with wide eyes. "Is he dangerous?"

"Only if you are his enemy, but he wants to help so you wouldn't be his enemy now would ya?" Yusuke said with a big grin on his face. He wasn't sure why he was going through all this trouble to help Kurama out. Maybe it was just because he had never seen Kurama so happy, that girl who ever she was seemed to be really special to him. Never had Kurama ever thought about himself, and Yusuke was finally happy he was doing such a thing. "Kurama, you're so selfless," Yusuke said to himself as he reached the front door of his house.

**A/n: Now its picking up, but I'm sure I already ruined this story. I can tell from lack of reviews and hits, it makes me a sad panda v.v!!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/n: Sorry this took so long to update its just been a completely crazy month, but you know that song by I don't remember but the songs called High School Never Ends is unfortunately true as much as I wish people could just grow up I guess it just doesn't happen when you are 20...Anyways I made it extra long and I will try so hard to get the next chapter up on time next week, sorry in advanced if I don't, because now school is starting so it will be just Work and School for some time cuz I'm actually going to college full time this year YAYY!! I'm so anxious for school to start.**

Chapter 9

Kurama thanked the cashier as he grabbed his bag from the counter and headed for the door. As he approached he looked ahead through the clear glass doors and his heart gave a quick jump as he saw Inoue. Immediately he stopped and watched as she continued to towards him inside the store.

Gripping the handle of his bag tighter and clenching his teeth he stepped off to the side of the door. He took a huge gulp as he watched her walk closer and closer, it had been a month since he had seen or heard anything about her. He furred his eyebrows and he realized how fast his heart was beating in his chest. Taking his free hand he grabbed his chest and tried to calm down.

As soon as he closed his eyes he heard the door next to him swing open and he opened his eyes just in time to catch it as it swung at him. He looked the door up and down thinking about how much it would have hurt if it had actually hit him.

"Kurama?" the soft timid voice of Inoue was heard and Kurama's attention was quickly pulled to her. Stunning was the first word that popped into his head as he saw her, lonely being the second.

"How have you been doing?" He said trying hard not to let his voice shake as he spoke to her. He yearned to still be her friend; he had never wanted to lose it in the first place. She was such a kind girl and very fun to be around, every day away from her had slowly torn him apart.

"Fine, been really focusing on my second year," she said trying hard not to make eye contact. It was the truth it had been the only thing she had been working on had been school; training was on the back of her mind.

"That's good; you are almost finished aren't you?" He said as he wanted to punch himself in the face, he had to leave, his mother was expecting him.

"Yes, then straight into my last year," She nodded looking down at his brown shoes that were very polished, like always.

"You aren't going to take the summer off?" He asked remembering his summer before his last year of school he was in the dark arts tournament.

"No I'm just going to finish a semester over, but I think I might take a few days off for Yusuke's wedding. Then again I don't really know if I wanna go seeing as how I only knew him for about 2 weeks, but I got an invitation," she said looking down at her feet as she scuffed at the linoleum floor.

"Why don't we go together so that you won't feel uncomfortable," he spat out not thinking, but truly it was what he really wanted.

"Sure that'd be fun," she smiled looking up at him, was he asking her on a date? "But are you sure it will be okay?"

"Well none of your friends will be there, so we can keep it our secret?" Kurama said as a smile spread across his face, yes their secret. Maybe this could be a new type of adventure; it would be just as dangerous with the only difference being no one will die, hopefully.

"Yes a secret!" She squealed as she did a little happy leap, suddenly she felt herself again. After so long she felt truly joyful and giddy, but now she would also have to hide that from the others.

"Alright then I will call you later to set up where to meet and such?" He questioned not wanting to leave but knowing that he had to get the food home for his mother. Inoue nodded her head and Kurama said good-bye and they parted ways. Even though he had walked away from her he still felt genuinely happy knowing that he would be seeing her again.

The day of Yusuke's wedding Inoue sat on her table fidgeting with her dress. She pulled the top up trying her best to cover her large breasts so they weren't hanging out, but she was having no such luck. Why did she have to be so thin but so robust?

She heard a knock on the front door and quickly stood up and looked at the full length mirror she had set up next to the door. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her green knee high silk dress. Then she looked at her hair and made sure it was all pinned up except for the ringlets that fell around her face. She heard the knock again, "Coming, coming," she said as she rushed and opened the door.

She looked out at Kurama in his tuxedo and green silk tie that matched her dress all to well. He smiled at her as his eyes traveled over her selection of clothing, "You look very beautiful."

"Thank you," she said inviting him inside, they still had 15 minutes before they had to leave. "Would you like some tea? I already put water on just in case," she said and he nodded and she made her way to the kitchen area to make some.

Kurama view was stuck on her as she walked to grab cups and filled them with the steaming hot water. He looked down at his tie wondering how he had picked the same color of her dress. Then he remembered the deciding factor was it matched his eyes and brought them out through his bright red hair.

He pulled his gaze from her as he turned towards the door and noticed the mirror. He looked at himself with his hair pulled back as he fluffed his bangs a little. He began to think maybe he needed a hair cut? His hair was the same length as Inoue's, if not longer. "Orihime, is this a brand new mirror?" He asked as he studied just the mirror closer.

"No, I only just pulled it out so I could get my dress right," she answered as she brought the tea over to the table and Kurama walked over and joined her. She set everything down and started to pull up on her dress again, "But as you can see I can't," she laughed.

Kurama tried not laugh and decided that it would still be safe to smile as he watched her jump up trying to cover her cleavage. He watched as her face went bright red and suddenly her back was to him. He noticed that not only was her top to tight that she hadn't zipped her dress up completely. He walked over to her, "Here, stay still," he said quietly as he finished doing up her dress. "There any better?"

Inoue spun around and smiled at him still some pink on her cheeks, "Yes thank you, can you do me another favor?"

"Sure," he said as she ran to her dresser and pulled one of the drawers out and took out a velvet box. As she shut the drawer she grabbed her barrettes off the top of the dresser and rushed back over to him. "Will you put these in my bun? And then put this on for me?" She asked handing him the pins and as he took them she began to pull out a necklace from the box. She spun around and stood still as he placed the pins in her hair, and then she rose her arm up trying to hand him the necklace.

Kurama laughed to himself as he noticed she couldn't reach her arm backwards only straight up and no further, maybe this was the reason her dress wasn't zipped up all the way. He reached up and grabbed the necklace from her hand and as he descended he let the back of his hand run down the side of her arm. Her skin was so soft he thought then realized what he had actually done, not only had he called her by her first name earlier now he had caressed her. Shaking it off he put her necklace on and fiddled with the latch until he finally got it.

His mouth twitched as he looked at her uncovered neck and he closed his eyes and waited for her to turn back around. He opened his eyes a second later to see that she was still standing with her back to him. He looked back at the spot on her neck and noticed she had Goosebumps, and then he looked down at her arms which also had them. "Are you cold?" He said as he reached out and rubbed his hands up and down on her arms attempting to warm her up.

"No I'm not cold its just," she mumbled as she felt his hands on her skin once more and wished that he would never stop. A second later he pulled away and she turned to watch him walk back over to the tea.

"I'm afraid we let it get cold and now we must leave," he said looking down at it sitting on the table no longer steaming. He was trying to regain his composer and kept his face down as he knew it was red.

"Oh well," she said looking down at it as well and then looking up at Kurama. She noticed that he seemed flustered, but as she thought about it she probably looked the same way. Though for Kurama to be flustered was something different, he was never caught off guard. "Let's go," she said as she watched him look over at the clock above her window.

"Yes," he nodded and he waited for her to come over to him and they walked out the door together.

Kurama escorted Inoue into their seats and he felt himself feeling antsy again as he watched her look around everywhere. "Have you not been to an American style wedding before?" He asked looking around as well at the outside wedding set up.

"I haven't been to any wedding ever!" She exclaimed as she sat down in her seat but Kurama didn't sit. She looked up at him and he was looking forwards, she looked forwards as well and saw Yusuke walking their way.

"Kurama, I thought you were going to stand up front with me," Yusuke said as he approached and finally stopped in front of him. He glanced behind Kurama and saw Inoue sitting and looking around. "Inoue thank you for coming," he said as he looked back up at Kurama and winked quickly.

"Thank you for inviting me, this place is so beautiful," she said standing up and bowing to him slightly.

"Well Keiko set this entire thing up so don't forget to tell her that later she would love to hear it," he smiled as he nodded and began to walk away. "It's alright Kurama I'll allow you to sit out here," he said his back to them.

Kurama sighed as he took his seat next to Inoue and began to look around himself. He looked at all the people around some he knew others he didn't. He spotted Botan and Yukina sitting in the front with Yusuke's mother. Botan turned and saw him and waved and he waved back politely and she spun back to the front. He turned around as well and watched more people pour in and saw someone he never expected.

She had short black hair and a deep blue dress and she was alone as she took a seat in the back and Kurama quickly spun back around and hoped Inoue wouldn't see her. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and realized she was no longer looking around, she was staring at him. Inwardly he smiled and straightened his gaze to the front as he continued to feel her eyes on him.

As the wedding started he quickly turned his head and smiled at her but she averted her eyes. He was about to turn back and watch Keiko as the song started but Inoue was turning back to him. It was as if he could no longer see anything but her gray eyes as hers met his dark green. His smile grew and after a moment he felt himself fall out of the trance as he looked around her face. "Are you alright?" He asked as he noticed her leg begin to bounce up and down.

"Just a little nervous," she said truthfully as she placed her hands in her lap and began to roll one hand over the other continuously.

"It will be alright," he said watching her hands and then grabbing one with his own and he gave it a light squeeze. She looked up at him and gave him a large smile and he felt his heart jump.

Suddenly they realized that Keiko was now passing their row and they both turned their attention back to the wedding; hand in hand. Silently they watched the rest of the wedding except for the quick looks at each other.

* * *

After the newly weds passed by everyone started to stand up and talk and follow outside. Inoue stood up and stretched but Kurama looked back and saw Rukia was still sitting and Kurama quickly pulled Inoue back in her seat. Rukia probably had already seen them but as long as they could avoid their gaze meeting everything would be less problematic.

"Kurama what is wrong?" Inoue asked as she looked around wondering what the problem was.

"Nothing I just wanted," he said not wanting to make her more nervous than she already was. Though she kept looking around and if she spotted Rukia then, his efforts would have been pointless. He tried to clear his throat to get her attention but she only looked at him for a split second. Finally he just grabbed her chin with his free hand and forced her to look at him, then that was all he had.

"What Kurama?" she said softly looking into his eyes that looked as if they wanted to say something.

"I'm very happy that I've been able to see you again," he said saying it now just in case he wouldn't have a chance to say it later. "I wish that things weren't like this," he smiled sadly as he looked down and let her hand go.

"Kurama," she said and he looked back up at her, "I don't care what everyone else says I still want to be your friend and I don't want this to be the last time we see each other."

"But they are your friends as well," he said watching as Rukia finally left.

"I don't care, I don't even fight anymore, I don't think I've been this happy in months," she confessed as she dropped her head feeling like a loser.

Kurama's eyes widened as he looked at her, had she truly not been happy? Inoue was the happiest person he had ever known, she hadn't seemed any different today than she had in the past. He quickly looked behind her and spotted Hiei glaring at him from a nearby tree, he was about to look away when Hiei gave him the finger and jumped out of sight. "Inoue, why don't we go back to your apartment tonight and talk?" He said rubbing his thumb against her cheek bone. As she lifted her head to look at him all he could do was smile at her. "Alright? I don't want you to be sad," he said as he bent his head downwards and his forehead rested on hers.

"Okay," she said weakly but she smiled all the same happy to have someone that wanted to listen to her. "Now what is next after the ceremony?" She felt like her cheery self again as they stood up together and he grabbed her hand again as he lead her away from all the seats.

"The reception," he said as they walked side by side. Hopefully Rukia would not be attending that portion of the day. As they walked through the throng of people he spotted Yusuke talking to Rukia and Keiko was far away talking to Botan. "Let's go talk to Keiko," he said as she was already dragging him over to her.

"Keiko what a beautiful wedding," Inoue said as she let go of Kurama's hand to give the bride a quick hug.

"Thank you I'm so happy that you actually came," Keiko said truly happy that she had.

"Hello my name is Botan," the blue haired woman with a pink kimono chimed in as she bowed to Inoue happily.

"Hello my name is Inoue Orihime," She said nodding back to the bouncy young woman. Inoue watched as Botan eyed Kurama smirking but Kurama ignored her. Kurama congratulated Keiko and then dropped back and stood next to her.

"Well the tent is over there and food will be served within the next half hour, so please enjoy your self's," Keiko said as a few of her school friends came over to gossip with her.

"Kurama do you know where Hiei is?" Botan said as she went up on her tippy toes and looked around for someone way shorter than her.

"I saw him for a second and then he walked away," he said remembering the angry look Hiei had given him.

"Alright well I'm going to go and look for him, you guys enjoy I'll see you later," she said waving good-bye as she got her self lost in the crowd.

"Kurama, Inoue!" The loud voice of Kuwabara bounded over everyone's head as he made is way over to them. "I didn't see you at the ceremony," he said as he finally joined them.

"We were there," Kurama said trying to hold in a laugh.

"Inoue did you come with Rukia and Ichigo?" Kuwabara said looking from her to Kurama.

"Um, no," she said confused and she looked over at Kurama who now had his face buried in his hand. "Are they here?" She said getting very nervous as she looked around for Ichigo's bright orange hair.

"Did you come on your own then?" Kuwabara said studying Kurama as he rubbed his temples. "Did you bring her Kurama! I thought you said that you weren't supposed to see her anymore! KURAMA ARE YOU TWO SNEAKING AROUND?" Kuwabara began to ramble as he slowly realized what was going on. Of course he didn't feel stupid for blowing their cover but smart for figuring it out so fast.

"Kuwabara," Kurama said finally looking up at the tall man as if to tell him to stop talking.

"Kurama did you know that they were here?" Inoue said turning to Kurama not knowing what they would do if they got caught.

"I saw Rukia at the ceremony, but I didn't know she was coming or that Ichigo was here," he said now he was looking around for Ichigo as well. Had Ichigo been there the whole time? No he must of come later or something. Why had Rukia even come in the first place, as far as he had known Rukia or Ichigo weren't very close to either the bride or groom?

"Don't worry I'll go distract them and you guys make a run for it," Kuwabara said as he made a brave pose hoping that he could help his friends in need.

"We can't leave, its Yusuke and Keiko's wedding," Kurama said finally spotting Ichigo and Rukia sitting at a table under the tent. As he watched Rukia looked directly at him and he turned back to Inoue. His brain was screaming at him, telling him to take Inoue's hand and run, but his logic was telling him he had to stay for his friends. He looked back at the table and Rukia was no longer there, it was just Ichigo and Hiei staring each other down.

"Inoue," Rukia's voice came before she emerged from the crowd. "I didn't know if you would be coming or not," she said friendly looking at Inoue who seemed scared out of her mind.

"Rukia I didn't know you were invited I could have came with you instead of coming by myself," she said trying to make her smile look real.

"Well actually I wanted to apologize because I think what Ichigo and Urahara told you guys was horrible," Rukia said looking at Kurama as well. "I feel like I haven't seen you in so long and I haven't had the chance to say anything," Rukia said remembering that she hadn't gone to school in months. "The truth is you guys were right and Yusuke has been helping us figure things out and fight this woman."

"Woman?" Kurama said wondering what in the world was going on. Had they actually believed them and Yusuke was helping them fight them and this entire time both him and Inoue have been completely oblivious and they could have seen each other this whole entire time? Now he felt a little angry and betrayed, he could have been there helping, but they didn't want to tell him? Even Yusuke was fighting again which in the beginning he had said he didn't want to.

"Yes, but I can't really tell you any more than that," Rukia said frowning wishing that she could just get everything off her chest. The truth was they were told to leave Kurama out of it because that strange woman was specifically looking for Youko the fox demon; and they had to keep Inoue out of it so she wasn't taken hostage or used to get Kurama to turn himself in. Of course it had always been the plan from the first day she had told Urahara and they had decided to act out the entire scene at his house that night. Now here she was telling them that they had been fighting all along and leaving those 2 out, why did she have to mention it anyways.

Ichigo sat at the table watching as Rukia had made her way over to the group when Hiei had sat down a few chairs away from him. He turned and looked at the little black hair man who was wearing his usual clothing. "Did you do that?" He asked pointing from Kurama to Inoue, he specifically remembered telling her that she couldn't see him.

"Why would I entertain such fantasies?" Hiei said turning to look at Ichigo who was already looking at him. They had been fighting together sure, but that didn't mean Hiei had to be nice. Hiei was never nice, most of the times he wasn't even nice to Kurama and Kurama was his closest friend.

Ichigo's eyes wandered back over to Rukia and then something Kurama did caught his eye. Kurama looked like he was thinking, he knew something was wrong, had Rukia mentioned something? Ichigo stood up and decided to stop Rukia before anything else was said. He weaved in and out of the crowd and finally reached out for Rukia and grabbed her arm and pulled her into the mass of people.

"Ichigo what are you doing?" Rukia shouted as she tried to look for the group of people she had only just been talking to a second earlier.

"What are you saying to them?" Ichigo shouted back throwing his arms in the air for added effect.

"I didn't say anything," Rukia told him wondering how in the hell he had known she had indeed said something.

"Let's go," he said grabbing her arm and started to walk, he stopped when he felt like he was dragging her. He turned back around and let go of her arm, "Just come on alright?" He said sadly feeling like a jerk for yelling at her and pulling her away.

"Fine," Rukia said in defeat as they walked out of the wedding together, she looked around quickly to see if she could spot the bride or the groom but there was no such luck.

**A/n: Bet you didn't see any of that coming?**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/n: Wow sorry for the delay I thought i already posted this chapter...well its getting close to the end only about a few more chapters left!! Then I can focus on my other work, Hopefully!!**

Chapter 10

Exhausted Kurama and Inoue burst through her front door and tried their hardest to not collapse on the floor. Inoue not being able to help it walked over and fell in the open area of her apartment where she usually slept at night. Her face down in the carpet she could feel her back stretching out as she flipped over on it. She looked upwards and Kurama had taken a seat on her kitchen table and was loosening his tie.

"How did you know what color dress I would be wearing?" She asked remembering that she hadn't already asked him about it.

"Well I just choose it because it was the color of my eyes, how did you choose that color green for your dress?" He asked trying to put the point across that maybe she had been spying on him and not the other way around.

"Oh you know I saw it and was like oh it's the color of Kurama's eyes," she said laughing but she didn't hear him laugh with her. She sat up and looked at him, "I'm joking, I picked this dress because it went well with my red hair," she said and she watched his face look a little relieved. She crawled over to him and sat on the floor and looked up at him on the table. "I don't think I have ever seen anyone with as green of eyes as you though," she said smiling and watching him as he moved down on her level.

"They are contacts," he said jokingly but she had gotten that it was a joke and laughed with him. "I'm sorry I've already told you I'm not good with jokes," he said looking at her gray eyes wondering how she got them so gray, there wasn't even a trace of blue in them.

"Why do you always put yourself down like that?" She said giving him a pouting face, but when she thought about it maybe she had the same problem.

"I don't really know," he chuckled to himself as he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and removed his jacket.

"Well do you want that tea now?" She said looking back at the cold tea cups on the table from earlier.

"Maybe in a little while, my stomach is still trying to settle from all the food and dancing," he said closing his eyes and resting his head on the table behind him, yes it had been a fun night none the less. They had never found out what was actually happening but they had both decided to forget about it for the time being and enjoy each other's company. Now that it was all over maybe it would be smart to at least talk about it with each other.

"So what do you think Rukia was talking about? Apparently it seems like some huge secret," Inoue said almost reading his mind as she put an elbow on the table next to her and rested her face in her hand. "I mean you didn't have any idea did you?"

"No, to tell you the truth it caught me completely off guard, and that is," he said but was quickly cut off.

"Very rare," Inoue said finishing his sentence and smiling as he looked at her. "I like it best when you are off guard," she said and his eyes looked at her deeply it started to give her the chills.

"I see," was all he could say, who ever thought that being off guard could be charming? Kurama hated the feeling of letting his guard down, hence the reason it was very rare when he did. Maybe she knew that every time he was around her he was like this, but for some strange reason he didn't hate it then. He felt comfortable not being on edge around her, he trusted her in a way.

"Kurama," she said smirking as she watched him think, he thought way too much. He had to think everything through to the tee, and if you didn't know him you wouldn't be able to tell but she could. His face didn't go blank and he didn't look spacey but he looked like he knew everything that was going on and he was just playing close attention. It was as if he was in deep thought but if you told him something he would somehow remember even if it looked like he wasn't paying attention.

"Inoue I think this is way bigger than we ever knew, maybe this had been going on for a long time. I went to talk to Koenma to get information on the Shinigami and Hollows but was denied. Then I didn't understand why but what if it was to protect me from something, that woman maybe?" he said trying to piece everything together, he tried to remember every small detail everything everyone had said.

"But why would they not tell me?" Inoue said trying to help him point out flaws that he might have missed.

"Then that explains it," he said knowing exactly what was going on without having to ask anyone that even knew. They planned to keep him out of it because this demon hollow was looking for him and they had to keep Inoue away so she couldn't be used as bait. Inoue wasn't the only person to use as bait though, there was his mother, stepfather, and stepbrother or even Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, plus there was all their friends and family that he had gotten close too. No there was some reason why Inoue was more important to protect then any of them.

"What it explains it, tell me," she whined not being left in the dark because she wasn't about to sit there for hours and try to figure it out on her own. Kurama was sitting right next to her, why figure it out on your own when the he already knew?

"Well there is just a small piece missing but this is what I've realized so far. They knew what was going on and this woman is searching for specifically me and so you weren't kidnapped to use as bait they had to keep you out of it as well. They didn't want her to use you to get to me, but the thing I'm missing is why just you. I mean I have plenty of family and friends," he said looking straight as he talked trying to find that little piece. "If only I knew who she was, I mean if she is a demon then she is probably looking for Youko and not me."

"But if she is looking for Youko then do you look like him even a little?" She asked wondering if he demon form wasn't completely different then his current. This demon could be looking for someone who looked different then he did.

"Not really, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't know what happened," he said rubbing his temples when he felt a heavy weight on his shoulder. He peaked from under his hand to see the red headed girl resting on him. "Inoue everything is going to be okay," he said getting the feeling that she felt sad.

"Just please now that we know lets stick together?" she said looking down at her hands in her lap and at his side. He was very comfortable to lean on, he looked like a stick but his body was very warm and welcoming. No he left because he thought she was in danger then would she not be in more danger alone? What if this woman already knew about her because they spied at the wedding or something?

"Of course, I can't leave you alone now what if they saw us at the wedding together and they put two and two together?" He said still not regretting going with her in the least. The best plan would have been to have them tell him so that he can avoid it on his own not be completely clueless. Sometimes people really think throwing a blanket over it was always a better method then trusting the person to make the right decisions.

"I just thought the exact same thing almost word for word," she laughed a little finding it weird that they were on the same page. Never in a million years would she think she thought the same as a genius.

"Yes well that's good that we agree then," he said as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her in closer to him. He wasn't sure why he did this it was very spontaneous and it made him try to think of the last thing he did spontaneous. When he thought about it the last time was also with her, just earlier that day when he had run his hands on her arms. Why was he acting so strange? In his current condition he wouldn't be able to protect both of them, but he knew he had to try.

"Will you stay here tonight?" She asked curling up closer to him loving the warm feeling she was getting from being so close to him.

"Are you okay with that?" He asked not really sure if it would be appropriate but it was probably the best idea. How to protect someone when you are way across town?

"Yes, I asked you didn't I?" She said wondering why he would question it when she obviously was giving permission when she asked him first.

"Then yes, but I must go home and change my clothes, will you be okay for an hour?" He asked resisting the urge to rest his head on hers. This was no time for this stuff, they couldn't be distracted.

"Yes, go now before it gets too late," she said pulling her self away so he could get up and leave so that he could return as soon as possible.

"Alright, within the hour then," he said standing up and without another word rushed out the door.

**A/n: Yeah so how do you like the blooming romance??**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Rukia was tired of arguing, it was time to shut herself in her closet and call it a night. She jumped off of Ichigo's bed and headed to her own.

"Rukia, what are you doing we are talking," Ichigo said as he watched her crawl up in her bed. "Are you really that tired?"

"Maybe," she said as she looked up at the ceiling and spotted Kon right above her. She pulled him down and threw him out.

"Come on that was a fool proof plan," Kon complained as he tried to get back up on her high bed.

"Kon you can be really annoying sometimes," Ichigo said as he walked over and picked the squirming stuffed animal up and threw him across the room. He leaned against the door and looked in at Rukia who was in the process of sighing. "We aren't done talking about this," he said as he peered in at her.

"I know but let's just sleep on it and see if we come up with anything new tomorrow morning," she said just as her phone started to go off. She flipped it open and there was a hollow attack close by.

"Let's go," Ichigo said turning into a soul reaper and then watching Rukia pop the little piece of candy in her mouth. "It feels like someone is already fighting it," Ichigo said as Rukia was finally next to him and they headed for the window together.

"We should go still just in case," Rukia said jumping on the roof and then to the ground and lead Ichigo to the hollow.

As they approached the spirit detectives were already on sight and just standing looking as if they were just conversing with the demon/hollow woman. Who of course had changed yet again and her hole was completely gone and her features were more striking and less ugly. Her hair was green reached the end of her back but her bangs were completely wild and stuck straight up and then out. Her eyes were sharp and had little scales on the outside edges. Her ears pointed and protruded from her hair and her lips were pure black. Her nails were long and matched the color of her lips as well as her black leather outfit she was wearing.

"I have what I needed, how dare you all keep him from me for so long," She said as Rukia and Ichigo stopped up next to Kuwabara. "I see your other friends have arrived; well it is to late I have Youko so you all can just go home or something."

Everyone looked at each other confused, how had Kurama managed to get himself captured? A moment later a giant black hole appeared and 3 lackeys jumped out and landed bowing down in front of their master's feet.

"Lady Jikaku he refuses to give up any information," the underlying spoke keeping his head down.

"So that is your name," Yusuke said as he stepped forwards, there was no way they had actually captured him they had to be bluffing.

"Silence scum," Lady Jikaku screeched angrily, did they not take her seriously? She had captured Youko and at the moment he was being tortured until he gave up the information on the person who possessed rejection. Once she had that then she would be unstoppable and able to overthrow the entire Soul Society. She wasn't a force to be reckoned with now was the time to teach them that.

"What are you looking for?" Kuwabara asked looking down at Rukia as if she knew what this lady Jikaku was talking about.

"Shut up stupid," Hiei scowled as he was mentally slapping himself for letting Kurama get caught. The only reason she had found out about him was the fact that he had been at the wedding and hadn't concealed his spirit energy. He should have told Kurama this entire time what had been going on but instead he had been stubborn now they had him. But now what sort of information was she trying to get out of him, what was she truly looking for?

"Well maybe now that I know you all know Youko so well maybe you can all tell me," Lady Jikaku hissed as she took a few steps forwards swaying her hips as she walked up to who would answer her question. The goofy looking redhead for sure she could coax the information out of him. She walked over to Kuwabara and looked him straight in the eye and gave him a little smirk. "Will you tell me what I am looking for?" She asked him.

Kuwabara stood still wondering how she had gotten so tall, was she on her tippy-toes? He looked down at her bare feet and noticed that she was really his height; he hadn't met anyone as tall as him well he guessed Ichigo was his height. He glanced over Rukia's head and over to Ichigo who was wearing an irritated scowl with his arms crossed watching him. "What are you looking at me like that for Kurosaki?!" He shouted turning his full attention on Ichigo, who did this punk think he was?

"Idiot why don't you just listen to the ugly lady's question and not worry about me?" Ichigo said resisting the urge to smack Kuwabara in the forehead. If Kuwabara had any sense he would hear her question and then they would know what she was after.

"Fine what do you want to know?" Kuwabara said turning back to the tall woman with a uninterested look on his face.

"Now it just looks like you are trying to use me, if your silly little friend isn't willing to give up the information how is it that you want to give it up so easily?" She spoke as she sharpened her eyes on him trying to figure out the way human brains worked.

"Because I want to know what the fuck you are looking for," Kuwabara shouted as if she was the stupid one and not him.

"Interesting, but the thing is if you agree to answer my questions it will not be around the others," She said looking on the people on either side of him. Did they think they could play her like that? Her questions would be for his ears only and he would have to answer or else she would dispose of him. Who was he anyway, just human scum? Yes, that was all he was human scum to use of and then throw away when done with.

Yusuke wasn't paying attention to anything that was happening he was watching in the distance as a dark figure approached. He watched her hide behind a trash can in the road as she watched intently. His brain began spinning, Inoue; it was Inoue that was what she wanted. He smacked his forehead and everyone turned to him but he paid them no attention. Now he understood what Koenma meant when he told him to keep both Kurama and the girl out of it. But what did the girl have that this monster could possibly need. She was just human wasn't she? Didn't Lady Jikaku want just to absorb Kurama or did she need to find him to get information out of him?

"What is his problem?" Rukia asked quietly as no one took theirs eyes off of Yusuke. Rukia looked at his eyes and noticed he was looking forward, she let her gaze follow his and noticed the shadow in the distance. She covered her mouth as she gasped, was Lady Jikaku looking for Inoue's rejection?

Hiei being the only one who saw Rukia's little act of surprised looked at the figure in the distance. Why was that red headed big breasted woman hiding in the dark? Stupid human, did she have some sort of power of her own though? Hiei knew Kurama had known something special about that girl that was the reason he had stayed close, or at least he thought that was the reason Kurama had tried to stay close to that woman.

"What are you all looking at?" Jikaku spun around on the balls of her feet and spotted the object most of them had been concentrating on. Now who was this little visitor? She began to walk over to the hidden Inoue who you could tell was shaking.

When Lady Jikaku was far enough away Rukia turned to Ichigo, "She wants the rejection technique from Inoue."

"Shit," Ichigo spit out as he grabbed his sword and was ready to charge when Yusuke jumped in front of him and held him back.

"Wait, she doesn't know who she is," Yusuke said knowing that if they blew Inoue's cover then that woman would know that Inoue was something special.

"What if she is going to kill her," Ichigo said trying to shove his way past the smaller man but with no luck.

"Just watch," Rukia said grabbing a hold of Ichigo's arm assuring him that it will be okay. If Inoue is attacked she will just block it and then they could grab her out of harms way before Lady Jikaku even realized she had found rejection.

"You are the girl that was with Kurama today," Lady Jikaku said as she stopped only a few feet away and Inoue stepped out behind the trash can. She studied the thin red head up and down, she was a adult and yet she wore snowflake clips in her hair like a child? "Why do you still put childish things in your hair?"

"Because they are special," Inoue said as she put on a brave face to show the woman that she wasn't anyone to be messed with. Earlier she hadn't seen Kurama with the others; she prayed that Kurama was safe at his house still changing or something.

"I see," Lady Jikaku turned just her head to face the others behind her. Why did they seem so agitated? Was this girl the person she was looking for? Well there was only one way to find out. Quickly she whacked her tail and a flash of green light shot at Inoue but the blast was suddenly thrown in a different direction.

As Lady Jikaku turned around she saw the orange triangle that the girl was now hiding behind. This was it? This was rejection at work, and now she had seen it for her own eyes. She reached out for her but the orange haired man had grabbed her and ran out of sight. The black warp hole appeared and she climbed into it with a devious smirk across her face.

**A/n: Awe man, Kurama's been caught! and now Inoue has to be scared for her life!! Sorry it took to long to update, work is gay and wont give me the hours i need off for school so im working 30 hours and going to school full time!!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Ichigo, can you set me down yet?" Inoue cried over his shoulder as they continued to run. She didn't understand why they were running or who that woman was. She almost chocked as she felt Ichigo stop underneath her and shoving her stomach into his shoulder farther. "What in the world?" She whispered as she coughed a little.

Ichigo set Inoue down as he looked forward and saw someone he never expected to see.

"Kurama!" Inoue screamed as she ran over to him and held back her urge to hug him.

"I thought you were captured," Ichigo said as he walked defensively up to him, keeping his eyes peeled for traps.

"Captured by whom?" Kurama asked a little confused as he looked down at Inoue who was the only thing between him and a pissed off Ichigo.

"That hollow lady," Inoue said not paying any attention to the tension in the air. All she cared about was they were safe and now her and Kurama could go back to her apartment and watch out for each other. Her cozy apartment was sounding really good right then and the fact that Kurama would be spending the night made her even more excited.

"You saw her?" Kurama asked wide eyed as he began to look around as if he was trying to see if he could sense her.

"You didn't feel her?" Ichigo asked his eyes narrowing as he spoke trying to watch Kurama more carefully. He knew that he didn't exactly know Kurama all to well but he knew you could never actually tell he was surprised. Either this was a trick or Kurama was actually truly surprised and couldn't sense that anything was going on. Which he understood could have been seeing as how he himself only recently was able to sense things on time, but on the other hand he was a demon.

"I've just been preoccupied, but I do sense everyone's level is slowly going back to normal," Kurama said wanting to take a step back, but he wasn't afraid of Ichigo he didn't do anything wrong. Even if he had felt it at the time it wouldn't of been wise for him to run to the enemy that was looking for him.

"It's alright, everything is fine, let's just go," Inoue said looking up at Kurama who looked completely worn out and ready to settle in for the night.

"Where are you going?" Ichigo asked looking down at Inoue, where were they going?

"Back to my place," Inoue said defiantly more than what she meant to say.

"What do you mean back to your place, Inoue!" Ichigo yelled after the two as they turned their backs and went on their way to Inoue's. "Hey!" Ichigo desperately yelled still wondering if it was a trick or not. As he watched them walk further and further away all seemed well and he turned and began the journey back to his own house. If anything happened to Inoue tonight he would kick himself in the balls in the morning.

"Kurama I am glad to see that you are alright," Inoue said as she bounced along next to him.

"Me too I felt that power surge and I was actually rushing to it as soon as I felt you, I thought I told you not to leave and I would be back," Kurama scolded but seeing the frown on her face he shook his head. "Never mind, we are both alright aren't we?"

"Yes that's all that really matters is that we are both okay," Inoue smiled as she looked him up and down wondering if this might actually really be a trick or not. Suddenly Kurama stopped walking and she stopped and faced him. "What is wrong?"

"Please forgive me?" He said looking down at the ground before charging at Inoue and a large black hole appeared behind her and they plummeted into the dark abyss.

Instantly Inoue felt her feet land on hard ground and she looked up to see a hideous monster in place of where Kurama had just stood.

"Very convincing Kaul," Lady Jikaku giggled as she approached Inoue and began to circle her and Kaul smiled backing away from the girl. "You are a very gullible did you know that girl? I could tell when I was watching you at the wedding."

"What do you want from me?" Inoue said knowing very much what this monster could possibly want.

"Your power of course, did you really not know that?" She cackled as she stepped backwards away from the human and slowly a new light turned on revealing something Inoue never wished to see.

"Kurama!" She said as she looked at the form crumpled on the floor, he wasn't the Kurama she was use to seeing but she knew it was him. His hair light silver and his clothing was even different, but she knew. She tried to run over to him but Lady Jikaku leapt forward and grabbed a hold of her hair.

"Not so fast," She said knowing that Inoue would just heal him after she had just had her minions beat the shit out of him. "You have to do something for me first."

Inoue screamed as she tried to untangle the woman's long nails from her hair with out ripping it out. She didn't want to do anything for this woman, all she wanted to do was see if Kurama was okay. If that was the real Kurama then how in the world did he manage to get himself captured like this. Finally she broke free of the woman and knelt next to him and shook him gently. "Kurama are you okay?"

"Go ahead show me what you have, heal him and see what happens," Lady Jikaku said covering up for her misstep, she didn't mean to actually let her go, but she wouldn't let anyone know that. Maybe watching her heal him would be just as useful, she turned to look at a shadow in the dark and nodded to him. He needed to time how long it took for her to heal him so they could determine the strength her rejection was actually at.

The familiar orange shield covered Kurama's body as she tried her hardest to repair his cut and bruised body. She squeaked a little when she watched as nothing was happening, her power seemed to be slower than normal. She wanted to slap herself for not training these past months, but how was she supposed to know something like this would happen? She silently made a pact to herself to never stop trying to get strong for those 'just in case' problems that arise without warning.

After 5 more minutes his wounds started to mend and Inoue let a little smile flash on her lips but quickly dropped it. They couldn't see her smile, it would show that she was planning something. The fact of the matter was she really didn't have anything in mind, but she didn't want them to think she did. Kurama would know what to do when he was all better, but why was this monster lady letting her do this? If Kurama healed all the way they could easily slip away and defeat these stupid hollow or demons, or whatever they were now.

Lady Jikaku was slowly growing tired of this as she walked up to Inoue and Kurama peering down on them. He still had just as many scratches, frustrated she grabbed Inoue's hair and yanked so head was up and their eyes met. "I may be many things but I am not a fool," she shouted in the girls face as she slapped her and Inoue went flying a few feet away.

The orange shield around Kurama faded and he started to move, but Jikaku paid no attention as she reared up on Inoue. "You stupid human scum, you are worthless and your power is nothing incredible," She screamed as Inoue tried to sit up but was forced back down when she was kicked on the back. "Human SCUM!" She repeated over and over again as she continued to kick the human scum.

A moment later she felt someone kick her in the back of the knee and she almost lost her balance as she dropped down low and caught herself on her hand. "What the fuck?" She screamed as she jumped back up on to see Youko Kurama's sharp eyes staring into her own black sinister ones. He still looked horrible but the fierce look in his eyes told her that he was now running on pure adrenaline. "Don't like it when I hurt your little girlfriend?"

"Shut up," Youko said as he grabbed the woman's throat and lifted her off the ground. He watched her squirm for a few moments and she tried to loosen his grip or at least get back on the floor. He let her drop hard to the ground as he watched Inoue get off the floor and stand up and face him.

Jikaku clambered as she rubbed her neck and looked around at her subordinates as they stood watching. "Get them!" she shouted at them and instantly they all lunged for Youko and Inoue.

Inoue tried her hardest to throw up a barrier but she could only shield one side and Kurama would stand at her back and try to fight them off. She took blow after blow on the orange triangle and was starting to lose strength. "Kurama I can't do this for much longer," she cried out finally as she was pushed backwards into him. She felt his strong back hold her in place as the hollows continued to weaken her protection. It was amazing how all this force that was being pushed into him he still stood straight and tall never flinching.

Inoue closed her eyes for a spilt second and when she opened them Lady Jikaku was right in her face on the other side of her screen smiling at her evilly. Jikaku began to throw black orbs of energy at her and as each one hit Inoue felt her self fly back into to Kurama and her power was slowly being sucked away. "Kurama I can't," she said as the large blast hit and she fainted.

**A/n: OH NOOOEEESSSS!! So I have finished this story and will have the last chapter up sometime soon, so sorry for the nonweekly updates, now I can finally move onto my next Inuyasha story, or maybe my Renji and Rangiku story!! Either way please review, I feel sad cause I used to get lots of reviews but now I don't. Even if you just say nice story it will make me happy. Oh and I need to know if I should write a epilouge, I'm good at them see my other finished stories!! Anyways review and let me know if you want one and how good or bad my story/chapter is!! PLEASEEEEEE!!**


	13. The end

Chapter 13

Youko felt Inoue go weak behind him and he spun around and caught her. His whip flew wildly from behind him forwards knocking the next black blast from Jikaku away from them. He continued to snap it behind him and forwards blocking off the beasts behind him and the monster's explosions in front.

'Only a few more moments,' he thought as he continued this for another few seconds before he saw it. Jikaku's eyes grew wide as she grasped her throat and tried to stay standing.

She began to claw at her neck, there was something there, some thing planted in her throat. Next she felt it slither down her throat and down into her chest and she started to scream but was cut silent when the slithering feeling hit her voice box and it hit her heart. She felt it begin to come up her esophagus and come out her throat, instantly cutting her off from oxygen and simultaneously killing her heart and brain at the exact time.

The whole room grew silent and everyone stopped as they watched Lady Jikaku fall to ground green vines flowing out of every hole in her body. Youko spun to the perpetrators at this back as they began to disperse. He felt a growl leave his throat but he held back and didn't chase after the deserters. He looked down at Inoue and shook his head, brave girl, his human self was so lucky to have her.

He felt his legs grow heavy but he had to get them out their before someone came back or woke up. If he stopped now they would both be in danger and too warn out to fight back, they would be doomed. He blinked as he sighed and tried to think of a way out when it hit him like a ton of bricks. His adrenaline had run out as he felt Inoue grow heavy in his arms.

Slowly he allowed himself to sit on the floor and instantly he was out cold unable to help it. However hard he tried his body would not respond to what his mind was screaming, and he felt Inoue's weight on his chest and prayed that they would be alright for the time being.

* * *

Ichigo, Rukia, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei burst through the black abyss as fast as they could. Why had they all been so stupid? The second Ichigo had let her go she was gone, at the moment he was completely disgusted in himself.

Rukia knew how tormented Ichigo was and she wanted to say something but as she looked at him as they ran she couldn't think of anything, no words came to her. So she continued to run with the others as she spotted the end of the tunnel and prepared to see the worst.

They all burst through the end and what they saw was nothing what they expected to see. Directly in front of them the red haired Kurama sat with Inoue in his arms sleeping in his lap and he was obliviously asleep as well. The pair completely battered and sliced into pieces despite their calm look as they slept.

Off to the distance the ever dead Lady Jikaku lay sprawled on the ground with the green vines still spilling out all over her as it slowly consumed her. Her stench reached their noses causing most of them to blench. Any traces of anyone else were all gone no other bodies lay around.

Quickly Kuwabara and Ichigo rushed over and picked up Inoue and Kurama as they all looked at each other and shrugged.

"That was an easy rescue," Yusuke laughed as they began to head back out the way they had come in.

* * *

A few days later as Kurama opened his eyes the first person he saw was Inoue hovering over top of him. A small smile crept on his lips as he was glad to see she was alright and even up before he was.

As Inoue saw his eyes fly open she called back her fairies and helped him sit up. "Do you want me to heal you more?" She asked as she grabbed his chin and looked at the once deep cut wasn't completely gone on his cheek.

"No this is fine, thank you," he said as he felt her brush his bangs away from his face. He closed his eyes at the softness of her cool fingers on his hot forehead. Her touch felt amazing and he secretly yearned for more as she pulled away. He opened his eyes and looked into her gray irises. "I am truly thankful to have a friend like you," he said and he saw a large smile appear on her face.

"Thank you for saving me," She said knowing that if he hadn't of been there when she had fainted then she would have been a goner. It was the work of both of them that finally defeated the terror of the Hollow/Demon hybrid beast.

Kurama's eyes narrowed as he searched her skin for any scratches that she need to recover from. As he checked her face first and finding nothing his eyes traveled down to her neck and down further and he felt his face get hot as he looked at her abundant cleavage. He instantly looked at her exposed her arms and couldn't find a trace of anything but a fading bruise on her wrists.

"I'm fine, I have a little black eye though," she said noticing him checking her for injuries. She pointed to her eye that was covered with make-up so you could barely tell anything was there. She felt his hands on either side of her head as he pulled it closer to his and he examined the bruise further. Not sure what really to do she began to laugh at his amusement of trying to see it. He finally pulled back and had a look of question in his eyes, "Guess I did a good job of putting make up over it?"

"You did very well, its barely there," he said feeling hot all over but trying not to let it show on his cheeks, which would cause further embarrassment.

"Kurama," she said softly as she scooted closer to him so she could feel the heat of his slightly battered body. "I just, it's just that, your demon form," she stopped as she tilted her head down slightly.

"Yes, he is way better looking than I am, are you in love with him?" He laughed slightly as he bent his head so that their foreheads were touching. This was a common reaction from women who knew both forms, Youko definitely attracts more attention then he ever would. Imagine if his old-fan club from high school had seen him as Youko Kurama, they still would stalk him even 5 years later maybe even forever.

"No its not that, I actually like you this way, I'm not in love with him I think, I think I'm in love with you," she said trying not to choke as she spoke the words and studied his steady emerald eyes. To her Kurama was the only person she ever wanted to be with, however they could be together even if it was just friends, she wouldn't lose him ever again. She was caught off guard when his head tilted closer to hers and she felt his warm lips on her own cold ones.

Never in his entire life did Kurama ever imagine he would hear those words, and from someone he also cared deeply for. His hand flew to her cheek as he pulled away and looked in her eyes, "You don't know how happy that makes me," he said rubbing his thumb on the unhurt side of her face. "Inoue stay with me?"

"Always," she said as her lips collapsed back onto his, she didn't even care that they were in one of Urahara's room at his shop. This was they greatest moment of her life, and if anyone walked in she wouldn't be embarrassed or ashamed, not even a little.

**A/n: Haha way lame, and embarrasing even but I kept it cuz if a story can make you blush then you know you are into it! So I should have the epilouge up whenever I figure out what it should be about. Leave lots of reviews for the last chapter??**


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